Most college students who spend seven years on campus leave with a degree. Stetson Bennett, backup quarterback for the Los Angeles Rams, walked away with something different. He won two College Football Playoff National Championships at Georgia, was drafted in the fourth round by the Rams in 2023, and reportedly left college without earning a degree.
Aug 12, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett (13) calls a play in the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Bennett began his college career as a walk-on at Georgia in 2017. He transferred to Jones County Junior College in Mississippi after Justin Fields committed to the Bulldogs, then returned to Georgia in 2019. He returned to Athens in 2019 after Fields transferred to Ohio State. Over the next four seasons, Bennett started as a backup, took over as starter when JT Daniels was injured, and eventually led Georgia to consecutive national championships in 2021 and 2022. He won the Offensive MVP award in both title games and left as one of the most decorated quarterbacks in program history.
The story resurfaced this week after a graphic highlighting the discrepancy spread widely on social media, and the post generated thousands of engagements within hours. The evidence was not new but landed fresh in the offseason NFL news cycle. The Athletic’s Seth Emerson had first reported in May 2023 that Bennett was not listed among Georgia’s graduating players after that spring’s commencement ceremony. Bennett also never wore the SEC Graduate patch on his jersey during his final season.
🚨🚨THIS IS WILD🚨🚨#Rams quarterback Stetson Bennett reportedly did not graduate with a degree from the University of Georgia despite being in college since 2017.
🤯🤯🤯
Bennett spent seven years in college, including a stint at a junior college, and still did not graduate. pic.twitter.com/tCqSdFDZfj
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) June 23, 2026
The original 2023 report drew a pointed reaction from former Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones, who posted: “Buddy definitely wasn’t playing school!”. Jones posted on X: “Buddy definitely wasn’t playing school!” Jones had famously tweeted in 2012 that he was not at Ohio State to play school, a post that followed him for years. His reaction to Bennett landed with obvious irony. Fans also noted that Jalen Hurts earned a degree from Alabama and a second from Oklahoma while winning playoff games – covering more academic ground in fewer years.
The question many fans raised was simpler than the football story: how does a player maintain eligibility for seven years without graduating? NCAA eligibility rules require players to remain academically eligible but do not require them to progress toward a specific degree. Minimum GPA and credit hour requirements are measured per semester. A player can meet those thresholds indefinitely without ever completing a degree program, particularly when switching majors or accumulating credits without declaring a formal path.
Stetson Bennett’s Complicated NFL Career
Bennett’s professional career has been anything but straightforward. The Rams selected him 128th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, he was placed on the reserve/non-football illness list before the season began. The Rams and head coach Sean McVay were deliberately vague about the reason, with McVay saying only that “there are certain things that I think are a little bit bigger and more important.”
Followed Bennett’s absence, including questions about a January 2023 public intoxication arrest in Dallas ahead of the national championship game. Bennett returned in 2024, serving as the third-string quarterback behind Matthew Stafford and Jimmy Garoppolo.
Bennett appeared in two regular-season games in the 2025 season and completed 9 of 13 passes for 87 yards. He held the No. 3 quarterback spot on the Rams’ depth chart entering the offseason. Now 28, he is entering his fourth NFL season still searching for meaningful playing time. His college career produced two rings, two MVP trophies, an NFL contract, and apparently no academic credential – a combination that would be remarkable in any field other than professional football.
Bennett’s case fits a well-documented pattern in high-profile college football programs. Georgia fans largely dismissed the story, arguing that winning a national championship and signing an NFL contract was more valuable than a diploma. Critics pushed back, pointing out that student-athlete programs exist precisely to ensure players leave with more than athletic achievement. Georgia’s graduation rate for football players has itself drawn scrutiny from outside the program.
Bennett has not publicly commented on the degree report. The Rams open training camp in late July. While his academic record has no impact on his current NFL career, it has become one of the more talked-about stories of the 2026 NFL offseason.
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