UPDATE: Matt Calkins has written a follow-up column apologizing to Bennett. Read it here. Bennett posted a tweet in response praising Calkins for the apology.
ORIGINAL STORY -- Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett says he's boycotting The Seattle Times after columnist Matt Calkins wrote a piece titled “Seahawks’ Michael Bennett does great things, but why the immaturity?”
Calkins spent much of the column praising Bennett for his play on the field, his jovial banter, and his community and social activism.
But Calkins also pointed out some moments where he questioned Bennett's maturity.
"I was 10 feet away from Bennett after that playoff loss to the Falcons when he ripped into a reporter for asking a fair question about the pass rush. He called him a “non-playing (expletive)” and asked what kind of adversity he’d been through, implying that there was no way it could be on par with an NFL player," Calkins wrote. "Well, that reporter survived cancer, which Bennett obviously didn’t know. But the fact that he never apologized or even acknowledged it reeks of immaturity."
Calkins also brought up Bennett's new war of words in which he called ESPN's Stephen A. Smith a "clown" after Smith criticized Bennett for voicing support of Colin Kaepernick.
"My boycott has just started against you guys," Bennett tweeted to Calkins. "I will never talk to seattle times for the rest of my career n will encourage my teammates to do the same."
@seattletimes @Matt_Calkins My boycott has just started against you guys
— Michael Bennett (@mosesbread72) May 21, 2017
@seattletimes @Matt_Calkins I will never talk to seattle times the rest of my career n will encourage my teammates to do the same
— Michael Bennett (@mosesbread72) May 21, 2017
Calkins responded "I'm sorry you feel this way. I actually have a lot of respect for you."
I'm sorry you feel this way. I actually have a lot of respect for you. https://t.co/utq4xnx3YU
— Matt Calkins (@Matt_Calkins) May 21, 2017
This all follows the fallout from late last season in which cornerback Richard Sherman said "I'll ruin your career" to 710 ESPN's Jim Moore following a press conference. Sherman did not do any of his scheduled press conferences the rest of the season. Sherman later disputed reports about what was said even though it was recorded.
