Michael Bennett’s journey has always been about pushing boundaries. He first rose to prominence as a Super Bowl Champion and Pro Bowl defensive end, and today he continues that pursuit as a designer, author, artist, and advocate for brain health. Throughout his NFL career, he became known not only for his relentless play and leadership on the field but also for his thoughtful engagement with justice, equality, and the deeper meaning of performance both on and off the field.
After retiring from professional football, Michael founded Studio Kër, a creative practice situated at the crossroads of architecture, design, and art. At Studio Kër, he approaches design as a form of healing for both individuals and communities. His work ranges from intimate furniture pieces to large-scale installations and architectural explorations across the globe. Central to his design philosophy is the belief that beauty and purpose must coexist, and that design should nurture mental health, spark social connection, and reimagine how we live together.
One of his most notable projects was the Seattle exhibition “We Gotta Get Back to the Crib,” where he presented sculptural furniture works and installations that drew on African diasporic traditions and cultural memory. The exhibition reflected on themes of home, family, and belonging while offering a powerful commentary on identity and community. Beyond this exhibition, his practice includes architectural commissions and site-specific installations that use material, scale, and form to create spaces of gathering, recognition, and shared humanity.
Michael is also an author, public speaker, and cultural commentator. His writing and speaking blend personal storytelling with broader calls for justice and transformation. Whether through a book, a lecture, or an exhibition, he uses his platform to challenge assumptions and to show how art can serve as catalysts for awareness and healing.
Together with his family’s organization, The Bennett Foundation, Michael co-founded B+HARI Sport, an initiative that supports athletes as they move beyond the game by teaching lifestyle practices grounded in neuroscience that sustain lifelong brain health and resilience. At the Institute, he plays a central role in shaping a vision that bridges sport, design, and science to advance a new model of athlete recovery and human performance. He brings a lived understanding of what it means to play under pressure, endure physical trauma, and experience the complex emotional transitions that come with life after professional sport.
Michael’s leadership within B+HARI goes beyond advocacy. He actively works with the faculty of neurologists, therapists, and designers to create programs that combine cutting-edge brain health science with practical, everyday tools. These programs focus on restoring cognitive clarity, supporting emotional resilience, and providing athletes and communities with pathways to reclaim identity, purpose, and well-being. His commitment is to show that brain health is not only about preventing decline, but also about cultivating growth, creativity, and strength across a lifetime.
Michael’s perspective is deeply personal. Having lived the intensity of professional sport, he understands the toll it can take on both body and brain. He also knows the potential for recovery when neuroscience and creativity work together. Through B+HARI Sport, he is helping to redefine the legacy of athletes by placing brain health at the center of what it means to thrive and open the way to lifelong potential.