Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett said he spent much of his rookie season at home in Georgia to clear his head.
Bennett, a two-time national champion quarterback at Georgia, missed most of the 2023 season after being placed on the reserve/non-football injured list in September, but the Rams have had little comment on the matter.
Recent “Unreserved with TJ Callaway” podcastThe host asked Bennett, “Where have you been?”
“Home,” Bennett, 26, said after the two shared a laugh. “I just went home for a bit. I wanted to clear my head. I don’t know, it was like a lot of stuff happening at once.”
“I just wanted some fresh air, and you know, the Rams and the people involved were gracious enough to allow that. I just wanted a little break.”
Bennett added that he just returned from Los Angeles after participating in the Rams’ OTAs.
The quarterback explained it still hasn’t sunk in after winning consecutive national championships with the Bulldogs and being named Offensive MVP in finals wins over Alabama and TCU.
“It’s been a very special experience,” Bennett said of winning back-to-back championships with the Bulldogs, “but it’s a question of staying there or moving on from there, because going forward you’ve got other things to work on, to be successful, to work hard for. You can’t just wallow on it.”
Bennett was arrested for public intoxication in Dallas in January 2023, shortly after Georgia’s win over TCU to win the national title.
The Rams then selected Bennett, a Heisman Trophy finalist, with the fourth round, 128th overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Bennett recalled feeling insecure about himself during his final season with the Bulldogs.
“Everyone, after the first game [national championship] “Everybody wanted me to leave…somewhere around my second national season,” he said. “During my first national championship season, I had no confidence in myself…I was on the field because I would get trampled if I didn’t. It felt like a big mountain to climb as far as asserting myself as the starting quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs. [s–t].”
In May, Rams general manager Les Snead detailed Bennett’s absence, explaining that the quarterback was a “tired guy” after making the transition from college to the pros.
“Here’s what I know: Last year was a very beneficial year for him. I think he took advantage of that year away from the game,” Snead said. News 19 interview “He’s a guy who’s worn down from everything that’s happened. Take him as an individual. He went to junior college, came back, turned down a small school and said, ‘I’ll give Georgia a try.’
“You win the job, and you win, and then you decide, ‘I’m going to come back,’ and then you come back and you either win again or you fail. That’s a big burden on a person, so I’m glad Stetson got that moment and was able to give you a little bit of a break.”
AP
Bennett played as a walk-on at Georgia in 2017 but never played in 2018 after Justin Fields committed to Georgia.
He then transferred to Jones University before returning to Georgia in 2019, but with Fields transferring to Ohio State, the Bulldogs needed a backup for Jake Fromm.
Bennett’s situation drew attention last season as he was expected to be the backup to Matthew Stafford.
But Bennett, Withdrew due to shoulder injury before the Week 1 game against the Seahawks.
McVay said at the time he wanted to keep details about Bennett’s absence “internal.”
“There are some things that I think are a little bit bigger and more important issues, so I’d like to leave it at that, respecting the details and the specifics and allowing them to be handled internally.” said the Super Bowl winning coach..
The Rams open the 2024 season on Sept. 8 against the Lions in a playoff rematch in Detroit.
