Getty Former Atlanta Falcons QB Kurt Benkert.
The San Francisco 49ers lost starting quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to a season-ending broken foot December 4 in their 33-17 win over the Miami Dolphins.
The Niners turned to rookie Brock Purdy to finish the game and, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, start for the remainder of the season. But that doesn’t mean the 49ers won’t need another quarterback behind Purdy, and Robert Griffin III knows of a guy.
RG3 replied to Schefter’s tweet about Purdy with, “Well, Kurt Benkert they need you!”
Benkert was originally a member of the Atlanta Falcons, who signed him in 2018 after he went undrafted.
Hours after Garoppolo’s season was finished, San Francisco signed veteran Josh Johnson to be Purdy’s backup, according to a tweet from Schefter, but that doesn’t the 49ers couldn’t turn to another available free agent for added depth at quarterback.
With Jimmy Garoppolo breaking his foot today, the 49ers starting QB now will be Brock Purdy, their rookie 7th-round pick from Iowa St.
Benkert Spent Time With San Francisco This Season
Benkert, 27, had already had a short stint with the Niners this season.
The team picked him up in September when they were in need of a third-string quarterback after losing starting QB Trey Lance to a season-ending broken ankle in Week 2. He was then cut on November 15 and announced his release himself.
“I’ve been released by the 49ers. Really enjoyed this stint in Santa Clara. The journey continues,” he tweeted that day.
I’ve been released by the 49ers. Really enjoyed this stint in Santa Clara.
The journey continues. ❤️
Before the 49ers, Benkert spent the 2021 season with the Green Bay Packers. He appeared in one game last season, kneeling the ball twice on December 12.
After getting cut by Green Bay in mid-June, Benkert waited by the phone, hoping another team would call.
It was 1 Week away from NFL kickoff and Benkert had yet to hear the phone ring. He did have a tryout with the Tennesee Titans in August, but nothing came about from it.
As he waited he continued to train and did consulting work for tech companies, he said in a September interview.
“I got a taste of life after football and it’s not so scary,” Benkert said after landing in San Francisco. “But at the same time, I missed the s*** out of this and I’m happy to be back practicing, learning installs and going through the prep of it.”
Benkert said he was also a professional gamer, which has helped him keep busy throughout his NFL journey.
“I’m glad I started talking about my love for gaming after my rookie year,” Benkert tweeted one day before announcing he was released by the Niners. It’s honestly changed my life. I used to be afraid to tell people I play competitively bc I didn’t want them to think I cared any less about football.
“Gaming has always been another competitive outlet.”
Benkert Played Under the Dan Quinn Era in Atlanta
Benkert was signed to Atlanta Falcons’ practice squad when Dan Quinn was still Atlanta’s head coach.
He returned to Atlanta in 2019 but didn’t make it past the preseason after a toe injury put him on the IR. He came back to compete in 2020, but COVID-19 canceled the league’s preseason, so, once again, Benkert lost out on a chance to showcase his talents.
The Falcons went on to release Benkert ahead of the 2021 season, when head coach Arthur Smith and general manager Terry Fontenot took over the franchise.
Before entering the league, Benkert split his college career playing QB at East Carolina and the University of Virginia.
He has yet to play in a regular-season game except for the viral moment where he took a knee to close out the Packers’ win over the Chicago Bears last fall.