Stetson Bennett was one of the more interesting quarterback prospects in the 2023 NFL draft class. The two-time national champion starter from Georgia had an unconventional route to the NFL.
Now it seems he’s also getting an unconventional exit one week into his rookie season with the Los Angeles Rams.
Bennett’s path to being a fourth-round pick by the Rams included two separate stints at Georgia — the second of which he nearly ended with a separate transfer to Louisiana — losing his job at least twice and skipping the Senior Bowl only to be arrested for public intoxication at 6 a.m. during the week. Bennett still earned the draft slot for his gutsy perseverance, clutch performances in big games and easy charisma.
His time in the sun as Matthew Stafford’s backup ended abruptly on Wednesday when the Rams placed Bennett on the reserve/non-football illness list. Head coach Sean McVay had this to say about the unusual roster move, via Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic:
“Out of respect for him and the situation, I’m going to leave all of those specifics and particulars in-house. Want to be able to do that out of respect for that situation. I’m not going to really have any follow-up information or anything that I’ll give in that regard … That’s all I’m going to say, and I really hope that you can please respect my wishes in regards to keeping that in-house. I understand you have a job to do, but there are certain things that are a lot bigger and more important. Out of respect for the particulars and the specifics, I want to be able to keep it in-house and that’s where I’d like to leave it, please.”
It is not related to a shoulder injury that bothered the 25-year-old Bennett in the offseason. Bennett will miss at least four weeks after being placed on the reserve/NFI list. McVay’s ominously ambiguous statement indicates that Bennett’s absence could last longer than that.
Nothing has ever come easy for Bennett along the way, not as a 5-foot-11 walk-on with an average (at best) arm. His latest roadblock might be the end of a long, strange football trip. Or, as he’s proved several times in the past, it could just another unexpected curve on the way to success.
