Getty Kurt Benkert #7 of the Green Bay Packers scrambles with the ball against the New York Jets.
Former Atlanta Falcons third-string quarterback Kurt Benkert has not had the best luck since joining the league in 2018 as an undrafted free agent.
That all changed on Saturday night when he made his starting debut with the Green Bay Packers against the New York Jets.
With Jordan Love sidelined due to a shoulder injury, Benkert played the entire game and went 18-of-25 for 151 yards with one touchdown and one interception in a 23-14 loss to the Jets.
He made plenty of solid plays but he really stole the spotlight with an incredible sideline pass to receiver Malik Taylor that went viral on Twitter.
.@KurtBenkert to @Taylor12Malik. What a completion!
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Benkert Opened Up About Getting Released by Atlanta
Benkert split his collegiate career playing for East Carolina and the University of Virginia.
He spent his rookie season on the Falcons practice squad and the following year on the injured reserve. He came back ready to compete in 2020 but COVID-19 canceled the league’s preseason, so he didn’t get a chance to showcase his talents.
Still, he really thought he had a shot to make the team’s final roster following an outstanding offseason at camp and all of the hard work he had put in, but that wasn’t the case.
In an interview this offseason with Tyler Dunne of Go Long, Benkert opened up about his struggles in the NFL, specifically his time in Atlanta under former head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Thomas Dimitroff.
“I’ve worked my ass off. When it comes down to it, I work really hard in football and give it everything I have and am always prepared. I think last year with Covid really opened my eyes. I had the best camp I could possibly have. I was balling. Making plays. I was like, ‘There’s no way in hell they cut me and put me on the practice squad.’ I was like, ‘I can’t be cut. There’s no way.’ And I go into the meeting with the GM and he’s like, ‘You did everything we asked you to do. You could not have played better. We’re lucky we don’t have a preseason because we can hide you and stash you on the practice squad.’ I was like, ‘S—. OK.’ That’s the reality of the business. That was a tough pill to swallow but, at the same time, it gave me so much freedom and took such a weight off my shoulders, that I can control everything I can and they still can’t keep me on the team. That’s just part of being an undrafted guy. Until you step a foot on the field in the game, and people have to see it, they’re not worried about somebody stealing you.”
Benkert confirmed former general manager Thomas Dimitroff was the one who delivered the news in such a disheartening way, which opened up his eyes forever. However, a simple text from one of the best players in the business kept his head above water:
“They did look after me in different ways and stuff. That was a tough reality of the business for me. As soon as I got cut, before you’re put on practice squad, you have 24 hours. You’re not allowed in the building. You’re not allowed to have your playbook. You’re a free agent for a day. The first text I got within 20 minutes was Julio (Jones). It’s cool to see guys like that recognize how I played—behind the scenes—that nobody would really know. They make it a little easier to swallow to say, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing. When you get your chance, you’ll be fine. But they have the leverage right now.’ That was a good Welcome to the NFL moment three years in. I’ll definitely remember that one.”
Benkert added that Jones told him via text, “Don’t let them change how you play your game. You’re doing well. It will work out when you get your opportunity.”
The Falcons Need to Sign Another QB
With AJ McCarron sidelined for the season, the Falcons will need to sign another quarterback since inexperienced rookie Feleipe Franks is the only other QB on the roster.
If Benkert becomes available then Terry Fontenot and company should not shy away from signing him again.
And it looks like that might happen.
“I don’t foresee it going a different way,” Packers head coach Matt LaFleur said after Benkert’s promising performance (via ESPN).
“I don’t want to ever anoint somebody — we’re always in constant competition — but clearly I think Jordan’s done enough throughout practices where we feel comfortable where he would be the 2.”
If Green Bay wants him on the practice squad, then they will need to cut him and expose him to waivers before they could bring him back to do that.
Benkert has more NFL experience than Love and played a heck of a lot better than either of Atlanta’s backups.
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