Florida DL Brendan Bett addresses spitting incident, promises to move forward: 'That's not who I am'

Florida defensive lineman Brendan Bett is looking to change the narrative around his name following a mistake that proved quite costly to the Gators last fall. Bett was ejected for spitting on a USF player, a move that would extend the eventual game-winning drive for the Bulls.

The regret came in waves for the first-year Florida player. There was the immediate shock of the loss. Then there was the aftermath.

“It was a toll, but I just kind of wanted to get redemption, kind of show people that that’s not who I am,” Bett said, in a video shared by the Gainesville Sun’s Andrew Abadie. “Even though I’ve made a huge mistake, terrible mistake, I didn’t want to show that that’s who I am. That’s not my character, that’s not the man my mother raised me to be. So I just, throughout the season, I just wanted to show that.”

Bett certainly did that. He was one of the most productive linemen on a unit that had several injuries. He tallied 39 tackles, 4.0 tackles for a loss and 3.0 sacks. Still, everywhere he turned, there was that inescapable truth: He was the guy who spit on a player and cost Florida a game.

“It was rightfully so to have that kind of criticism,” Bett said. “But in my mind, I just took it and I was just wanting to show people that that’s not who I am.”

Rather than let the moment define him or spiral into a dark place, Brendan Bett doubled down. He realized that work was the only way out.

And, if there could be a silver lining to the situation, Bett wanted to find it. He’s candid about that now.

“I definitely use it as motivation, just to show people that I am better than that and I want to be better than that,” he said. “And also, I kind of use it to help the young guys. Use me as a demonstration when you feel like you’re in a moment of heat like that. Take what I did and learn from that. So I try to take what I did as a learning lesson for other people as well.”

Positive, not a negative. Far easier to say that than believe it for Brendan Bett. But here he is, going through spring ball and hoping to have a breakout season for the Gators.

That moment? Just a snapshot in time. It doesn’t have to be the whole story.

“Definitely. It gives me something to help just keep pushing forward,” Bett said. “Gives me something to really look back on to help elevate my character from that.”