Stetson Bennett Arrested: Georgia QB Facing Public Intoxication Charge

Stetson Bennett, the former star quarterback of the University of Georgia, was arrested in Dallas for public intoxication on Sunday morning. "On January 29, 2023, at about 6:10 a.m., Dallas Police responded to reports of a man banging on doors in the 1600 block of Tribeca Way," a Dallas Police Department spokesperson said in a statement to ESPN. "The preliminary investigation found when officers arrived, they located the man, Stetson Bennett, 25, and determined he was intoxicated. "Bennett was taken into custody, transported to the City Detention Center, and charged with public intoxication," the statement continued. A local outlet identified him leaving the jail on Sunday morning in video footage taken after Bennett's arrest. CNN affiliate WFAA reported Bennett was freed shortly before 11 a.m. CT.

ESPN projected the 25-year-old athlete to enter the NFL draft in 2023 after leading the University of Georgia to national championships in 2022 and 2023. As a two-star quarterback in high school, Bennett's only scholarship offer came from Middle Tennessee State as coaches believed he was too short and too light – he measured 5 feet 9.5 inches and 185 pounds. After leading the Georgia Bulldogs to a 15-0 record and winning the SEC championship this past season, Bennett was named a Heisman Trophy finalist after starting his college career as a walk-on. During his career, he passed for 4,127 yards, scored 27 touchdowns, and threw seven interceptions. He also rushed for another 10 scores. Bennett was also crowned offensive MVP for Georgia's victories in the CFP and its 42-41 comeback win against Ohio State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. 

Earlier this month, Bennett's team defeated the TCU Horned Frogs in the 2023 College Football Playoff National Championship, beating them 65-7. As a result of combining for six touchdowns, the Bulldogs quarterback won the offensive MVP award for the game. He finished the season by passing for 4,127 yards. He is the grandson of Buddy Bennett, who was a quarterback for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks from 1958 to 1960. The Allstate Sugar Bowl recently awarded the Manning Award, which goes to the top quarterback in the FBS, to Bennett, who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 190 pounds. Last week, Bennett told reporters that he would be training for his pro career in Fort Worth, Texas, which is about 30 miles away from Dallas, according to the Associated Press. It is unclear why he was in Dallas and whether his arrest will affect his draft chances.