_(cropped).jpg) Benkert withVirginia at the2017 Military Bowl | |||||||||||
| No. 6, 14, 13 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Quarterback | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born | (1995-07-17)July 17, 1995 (age 30) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||
| Listed weight | 218 lb (99 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school | Island Coast(Cape Coral, Florida) | ||||||||||
| College | East Carolina (2013–2015) Virginia (2016–2017) | ||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2018: undrafted | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
* Offseason and/or practice squad member only | |||||||||||
| Career XFL statistics | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Kurt Benkert | |
|---|---|
| Twitch information | |
| Channel | |
| Years active | 2019–present |
| Followers | 46,200 |
| YouTube information | |
| Channel | |
| Years active | 2021–present |
| Genres | |
| Subscribers | 355,000 |
| Views | 106 million |
| Last updated: July 13, 2025[1] | |
Kurt Benkert (born July 17, 1995) is an American former professionalfootball player who was aquarterback in theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theEast Carolina Pirates andVirginia Cavaliers. He signed with theAtlanta Falcons of theNational Football League (NFL) as anundrafted free agent following the2018 NFL draft; he was also a member of theGreen Bay Packers andSan Francisco 49ers. After being assigned to theHouston Roughnecks, he announced he would not play for the league, but was traded to theSan Antonio Brahmas midway through the season.
Benkert attendedCape Coral High School inCape Coral, Florida, and transferred toIsland Coast High School in Cape Coral prior to his senior year. As a senior, he passed for 2,261 yards with 20 touchdowns. He committed toEast Carolina University to play college football.
After redshirting his first year at East Carolina in 2013, Benkert appeared in three games in 2014, completing eight of 10 passes for 58 yards and aninterception. He was named East Carolina's starting quarterback heading into 2015, however he suffered atorn ACL before the season.[2] In May 2016, he transferred to theUniversity of Virginia.[3][4]
In his first year at Virginia, Benkert was named the starting quarterback.[5][6] He completed 228 of 406 passes for 2,552 yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.[7] In the third game of his senior season in 2017, Benkert broke the school record for passing yards in a game with 455.[8][9]
| Season | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Comp | Att | Pct | Yards | Avg | TD | Int | Rate | Att | Yards | Avg | TD | |||
| 2013 | East Carolina | Redshirt | |||||||||||||||
| 2014 | East Carolina | 3 | 0 | 0–0 | 8 | 10 | 80.0 | 58 | 5.8 | 0 | 1 | 108.7 | 5 | 23 | 4.6 | 2 | |
| 2015 | East Carolina | DNP (injury—knee) | |||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Virginia | 11 | 10 | 2–8 | 228 | 406 | 56.2 | 2,552 | 6.3 | 21 | 11 | 120.6 | 60 | -94 | -1.6 | 0 | |
| 2017 | Virginia | 13 | 13 | 6–7 | 298 | 509 | 58.5 | 3,207 | 6.3 | 25 | 9 | 124.1 | 65 | -63 | -1.0 | 0 | |
| Career | 27 | 23 | 8−15 | 534 | 925 | 57.7 | 5,817 | 6.3 | 46 | 21 | 122.4 | 130 | -134 | -1.0 | 2 | ||
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft2+5⁄8 in (1.90 m) | 218 lb (99 kg) | 31 in (0.79 m) | 9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) | 4.95 s | 4.33 s | 7.15 s | 31.0 in (0.79 m) | 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m) | 16 reps | |||
| All values fromNFL Combine[10] | ||||||||||||
Benkert signed with theAtlanta Falcons as an undrafted free agent on May 1, 2018.[11] He was waived on September 1, 2018, and was signed to the practice squad the next day.[12][13] He signed a reserve/future contract with the Falcons on December 31, 2018.[14]
On August 6, 2019, Benkert was placed on injured reserve after suffering a toe injury in the preseason.[15]
On September 5, 2020, Benkert was waived by the Falcons and was signed to the practice squad the next day.[16][17] He was elevated to the active roster on November 21 for the team's week 11 game against theNew Orleans Saints, and reverted to the practice squad after the game.[18] He signed a reserve/future contract on January 4, 2021,[19] but was waived on February 18, 2021.[20]
On May 17, 2021, Benkert signed with theGreen Bay Packers.[21] On August 31, 2021, Packers released Benkert as part of their final roster cuts.[22] He was signed to the practice squad the next day.[23] Benkert was elevated to the active roster on December 7, 2021, to replaceJordan Love, who had been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list the day before.[24] He saw the field for the first time in his professional career on December 12,kneeling the ball twice in the closing seconds of a 45–30 win over theChicago Bears.
On January 25, 2022, he signed a reserve/future contract with the Packers.[25] On June 17, Benkert was released by the Packers.[26]
On September 20, 2022, Benkert signed with theSan Francisco 49ers practice squad.[27] He was released on October 12.[28] He re-signed to the team's practice squad on October 18, 2022.[29] On November 15, 2022, Benkert was released from the team again.[30]
On December 12, 2022, Benkert was assigned to theHouston Roughnecks of theXFL.[31] In a public statement, Benkert stated that, after initially seeking to join the league, he had chosen not to sign a contract, stating that it "no longer feels like the right (opportunity) to pursue" and that the decision was "the fault of no one" with Benkert stating he would instead spend spring 2023 out of football with his family. The Roughnecks retained his rights in the league.[32]
On March 23, 2023, the Roughnecks traded Benkert's player rights to theSan Antonio Brahmas following an injury toReid Sinnett.[33]
Benkert's debut in the XFL came in relief of starter Jawon Pass. Benkert completed one of his six attempts for two yards and an interception in the team's 15–9 win over theArlington Renegades.[34] He earned his first start for the team's following game against theVegas Vipers. He started the game off by throwing a one-yard touchdown pass toFred Brown.[35] Late in the first half Benkert was hit following a throw and suffered three broken ribs,[36] but did not leave the game. He was eventually taken out late in the fourth in favor of Pass. Benkert was placed on the Reserve List on April 4, 2023.[37]
Benkert announced his retirement on August 26, 2023.[38]
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2018 | ATL | Did not play | |||||||||||||
| 2019 | ATL | ||||||||||||||
| 2020 | ATL | ||||||||||||||
| 2021 | GB | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2 | -1 | -0.5 | 0 |
| 2022 | SF | Did not play | |||||||||||||
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1 | -0.5 | 0 | |
| Year | League | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | |||
| 2023 | XFL | SA | 2 | 1 | 0–1 | 23 | 37 | 62.2 | 181 | 4.9 | 1 | 2 | 60.8 | 4 | 12 | 3.0 | 0 |
Benkert signed withSpacestation Gaming. He is an alternate for the Spacestation GamingHalo team.[39]
Benkert married Samantha Morreal on July 2, 2016.[40] The two have a daughter together.
On April 1, 2017, Benkert started his YouTube channel.[41] On April 8, 2021, he uploaded his first video Titled "Kurt Benkert 2017 College Highlights." As of December 29, 2024, he has over 310,000 subscribers and over 80,000,000 views.[41] Benkert's content mostly focuses on playing or teaching the popular video game seriesMadden NFL.