The Los Angeles Rams used the 128th overall pick on quarterback Stetson Bennett in the 2023 NFL Draft, hoping he could immediately become a viable backup behind Matthew Stafford. Instead, the two-time national champion stepped away from football and is now making a comeback in 2024.
Bennett, now 26 years old, was a second-team All-SEC quarterback in his final season with the Georgia Bulldogs. The Rams fell in love with him during the pre-draft process, viewing him as a potential starting-caliber quarterback who would fit nicely in Sean McVay’s offense if Matthew Stafford went down.
Following an up-and-down summer, the rookie quarterback struggled in his first preseason action with 7 combined sacks and interceptions. Then, out of nowhere, Bennett left the team and was placed on the reserve/non-football illness list.
The Rams never disclosed details about Bennett’s absence, even after the season ended, when questioned about his future. Unexpectedly, in March, Georgia coach Kirby Smart revealed that Bennett was training for an NFL return. Snead confirmed that the former fourth-round pick would participate in spring and summer practices. Now, with Bennett at Rams OTAs, more information about his 2023 absence is coming to light.
In an appearance on News 19 in Alabama, Snead shared some information about Bennett’s absence last season, suggesting that Bennett stepped away from football to focus on his mental health.
Snead certainly knows the toll making a championship run can have on an organization. As he told News 19, Rams’ players, coaches and other employees experienced how draining pursuing a championship can be during their Super Bowl run.
Bennett faces a challenging return to football. At 26, he enters the 2024 NFL season without having played a regular-season snap and missing valuable time last year that could have been spent learning from the Rams coaching staff. Positioned as the third quarterback behind Stafford and Jimmy Garoppolo, Bennett’s clearer mind should aid his focus on football this year.
