Stetson Bennett's imperfections make him perfectly suited for Rams in 2024
By Bret Stuter
The difference maker
You are here. That is the very definition of being present in the moment. You are not embroiled in the trials and tribulations of your past. You are not yet tasked with tomorrow's events. On the path back to behavioral and mental health, focusing on the moment is critical. That is the key to Bennett right now, being keyed into what he can do and affect, and letting go of the past and future, areas that he cannot alter with his actions.
Some have cited that the very act of stepping away from the game of football is itself evidence that he iis not mentally tough enough to handle the pressure of playing NFL quarterback. I would argue otherwise. Bennett made a choice to remove himself from his spot on the Rams roster, a spot that by his very competitive nature was not easy to do, for the betterment of the team
This was no vacation. This was self preservation, and it came at the cost of facing the music when he returned in 2024. That music came when he participated in his first press conference since returning to the Rams roster this spring:
The Rams prefaced Bennett's return by giving GM Les Snead the green light to discuss the circumstances and status of Stetson Bennett in an interview with WRBL. During that interview, Snead relayed that Bennett is back and fully participating with the team, and that he sees Bennett as taking full advantage of his season away from the game. He even reiterated that he believes time away from football was very beneficial for the young quarterback.
And why wouldn't he? He was the same friend who advised his team's head coach Sean McVay to step away from the game for one year to clear his head as well. While McVay only needed a short time to resolve his conflict, he is simply an older and more seasoned version of the former Georgia quarterback.
If you recall, speculation ran amok when the Rams first announced that Bennett was placed on the IR/NFI list that lasted the entire 2023 season. The reasons behind the move were not shared, but we weighed in to shunt some of the more outlandish rumors that had grown popular by that time. It was not until May 2024 that the team shared some details.
GM Les Snead shared how he viewed the LA Rams as the perfect team for Bennett, and how the entire team was exhausted after winning Super Bowl LVI. This was a team that had the luxury of allowing Stetson Bennett to chart his own path.