Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo blasts Stetson Bennett for playing college football at 25
Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett entered a rare and accomplished group on Monday night when he won his second national championship as the offensive leader for his team. At 25-years old, his age has become as much a part of his unique college football story as the many twists and turns over the years.
ESPN contributor and radio host Chris ‘Mad Dog’ Russo took issue with Stetson Bennett, calling his eligibility into question Tuesday morning after the game.
“I have a – not a little problem – I have a major problem with Stetson Bennett, 25-years of age, playing college football,” said Russo. “I can see it for one year. Last year, he won. Burrow was 23, going on 24, when he won. But 25-years of age playing quarterback for Georgia? He should’ve left after last year.
“I didn’t know that he was that old. … But I have a problem with a 25-year old playing against 19-year old kids. I had a problem with (Chris) Weinke doing it for Florida State when he won the Heisman. I didn’t vote for him for that reason.”
Weinke, one of the most famous examples of a quarterback playing beyond the age of a typical college student recruited from high school, was 28-years old when he lifted the Heisman Trophy in 1999. Bennett’s situation differs slightly because he was granted additional eligibility beyond the standard four years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mad Dog Russo on Stetson Bennett
Continuing his rant against Stetson Bennett, Mad Dog brought the relative ages of other quarterbacks and players into the conversation, including multiple NFL MVP candidates.
“I understand the Bennett story is a hell of a story,” said Russo. “We all know about the walk-on, and told to leave, and everything else. I understand that. But he’s older than 10 NFL quarterbacks. He’s older than Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, he’s the same age as Lamar Jackson. And it’s not like he didn’t win last year. He won last year.
“So it’s not like you can say, ‘well he hasn’t won anything, what good has it done him?’ He won the championship last year. I have a problem with it.”
To further illustrate his point, he concluded the rant with a plea to college football viewers to determine what age is old enough to restrict athletes from continuing to use up their amateur eligibility in the collegiate ranks.
“If you’re 40 you can play?” asked Russo. “What is the cut-off date? When do we sit there and watch a college athlete and say, ‘you know what, this is ridiculous, he’s this old playing against a bunch of 19- and 20-year old kids.’ This is absurd. When does that get to the scenario where it becomes a joke?”