Watch Georgia Bulldogs Offensive Coordinator Mike Bobo speak to the media
Watch Georgia Bulldogs Offensive Coordinator Mike Bobo speak to the media
Stetson Bennett returned to the NFL field on Sunday after missing last season with the Los Angeles Rams.
It was a mostly tough performance for the quarterback, who won two consecutive national championships for Georgia in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Bennett threw four interceptions, but still used his feet and arm to make the winning play in a 13-12 victory over the Dallas Cowboys at SoFi Stadium.
On a fourth-and-goal, he rolled left and threw a 6-yard touchdown to tight end Miller Forristall with four seconds left, who put the Rams ahead after the extra point. Bennett ended up leading a 13-play, 70-yard drive.
Bennett’s final numbers: 24 of 38 for 224 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions. He was sacked twice.
Bennett, a fourth-round draft pick in 2023, had just seven interceptions and threw for 4,127 yards and 27 touchdowns during the 2022 season, when he was a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.
NFL teams often bench their best players or give them limited playing time during the preseason.
Former Georgia quarterback and Super Bowl winner Matthew Stafford did not play for the Rams on Sunday.
The same goes for the experienced Jimmy Garoppolo, who will have to serve a two-game suspension at the beginning of the season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
That leaves the backup job for Bennett, who was on the non-football injured list last season, open at the start of the season. Bennett told reporters his absence could be described as a mental illness.
“I’m happy to come here every day,” he said. “You just come here and you’re hungry every day.”
The Rams’ next preseason game will be on Saturday against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium.
