The are going with as Matthew Stafford’s backup quarterback over rookie for Thursday’s season opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia. As a result, the decision settles the after weeks of uncertainty surrounding the No. 2 role.
The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov took to X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday, reporting that Bennett Stafford’s backup for the historic matchup in Melbourne.
“The #Rams are naming as the backup QB to for tonight’s game vs. the 49ers.
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Rookie Ty Simpson will be the emergency QB3.”
The are naming Stetson Bennett as the backup QB to Matthew Stafford for tonight’s game vs. the 49ers.Rookie Ty Simpson will be the emergency QB3.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate)
Bennett entered the NFL as a fourth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft after winning back-to-back national championships at Georgia. Now in his fourth NFL season, he has yet to take a regular-season snap.
Los Angeles had already listed Bennett second and Simpson third on its unofficial Week 1 depth chart. Thursday’s game-day designation solidifies that order for the opener, with Simpson serving as the emergency third quarterback.
with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after his lone season as Alabama’s starting quarterback. The rookie signed a four-year, $25.4 million contract and represents a significant investment for Los Angeles as Stafford enters his 18th NFL season.
after winning the 2025 NFL MVP award. Therefore, if Stafford becomes unavailable during Thursday’s game, Bennett would take over the offense. Under the NFL’s emergency third-quarterback rules, Simpson could only enter if both Stafford and Bennett are sidelined by injury or disqualification.
The decision comes ahead of the NFL’s first regular-season game in Australia, with the Rams serving as the designated home team against San Francisco at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
For Thursday’s opener, Bennett holds the immediate backup role behind Stafford, while Simpson remains the emergency option.
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