Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay loves what he's seen so far out of veteran quarterback Stetson Bennett.
Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay has loved what he’s seen so far out of veteran quarterback Stetson Bennett.
In a recent interview, McVay raved about the veteran quarterback, praising Bennett amid the ongoing QB2 battle in training camp.
"You see a lot of the moxy and the swag that allowed him to be able to lead Georgia to two national championships," McVay said. "Watching his journey is pretty cool, and it's a good reminder of patience, internal fortitude, and the power of belief."
The 40-year-old head coach added that Bennett has continued to grow and develop throughout his career, with the quarterback now preparing for his fourth NFL season.
"I think you can feel the respect that he's earned from his teammates and the excitement for when he does some cool stuff. I've been really pleased with him."
Based on the way McVay has spoken about Bennett, he appears to be the favorite to win the QB2 battle. Entering training camp, the Rams' QB2 battle was one of the more intriguing and crucial battles for the team.
At the forefront of that battle were Bennett and rookie quarterback Ty Simpson. Simpson has been pegged as the potential successor to Matthew Stafford once he decides to hang up his cleats.
When that will be is the million-dollar question, but with Stafford playing some of his best ball, that isn't expected to be the case any time soon. Entering camp, Simpson was considered due to being a first-round draft pick, but he has not outplayed Bennett.
McVay was asked about the rookie quarterback's progress and didn't stray too far from the expected answer.
"He's done good. He's done really well,”McVay said of Simpson.
Bennett appears to be the clear frontrunner, which means we could see Simpson under center for Los Angeles by the time preseason rolls around.
The Rams selected Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft out of Alabama.
It’s been quite the journey for Bennett. After the Rams selected Bennett in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, he stepped away from the team during his rookie season for mental health reasons. He needed to clear his head after feeling the intense, compounding pressures of transitioning to the NFL.
Bennett eventually returned to the team in 2024, but struggled mightily in the preseason opener against the Dallas Cowboys, throwing four interceptions. However, he did lead the Rams to a game-winning touchdown drive in the final seconds.
Since Bennett joined the Rams, there’s always been a veteran backup ahead of him, but with Jimmy Garoppolo now out of the picture, he's become the veteran in the quarterback room, outside of Stafford.
Bennett has yet to collect a stat in the NFL outside of the preseason. That could change if he wins the QB2 battle and if Stafford were to miss any time in 2026.
