Benson was arrested for driving while intoxicated in Austin, Texas, on June 7, 2008. While returning from a restaurant with his girlfriend, police claimed that Benson drove through a red light, and failed a field sobriety test. Police claimed he later refused to take a breath or blood test to determine his blood alcohol level. Police proceeded to detain Benson, and later released him on bond. Benson denied the police officers' allegations and insisted that he "aced" the field test. Bears general manager Jerry Angelo commented, "It's unfortunate. Disappointment is too much an often used word when we're talking about Cedric. The No. 1 lesson for every player is protect your job. We're all held accountable for our actions. I'm not going to say any more than that until we know for sure what the facts are." On the following Monday, Benson was waived from the Bears. Angelo commented on the release, stating ”Cedric displayed a pattern of behavior we will not tolerate... As I said this past weekend, you have to protect your job. Everyone in this organization is held accountable for their actions."