Benkert announces his surgery was a ‘success’

Falcons quarterback Kurt Benkert, who suffered a major toe injury against the Broncos on Thursday, was placed on injured reserve Tuesday.

He announced Wednesday on Twitter that his surgery was a success.

Surgery for Benkert who went on IR Tuesday! https://t.co/bzq4q1gcaW
— D. Orlando Ledbetter (@DOrlandoAJC) August 7, 2019

The Falcons had high hopes for Benkert, who received a $60,000 signing bonus after going undrafted in 2018. He spent last season on the practice squad, and the team wanted to see him play a lot this exhibition season. He went down in the fourth quarter of the 14-10 loss to the Denver Broncos on Thursday in Canton, Ohio.

The Falcons signed quarterback Matt Simms to replace Benkert.

Benkert, who completed 19 of 34 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown, was injured in the fourth quarter of the Pro Football Hall of Fame exhibition game.

Simms, 31, last played for the Atlanta Legends of the defunct Alliance of American Football League. He was on the Falcons’ practice squad from 2015-17.

Simms, who played at Tennessee, is the son of former New York Giants great Phil Simms.

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