Ty Simpson is ‘polarizing’ QB who already faces uncertain future as Rams search for Matthew Stafford replacement

Ty Simpson will forever be linked with Fernando Mendoza and the 2026 NFL Draft.

But as Week 1 of a new season approaches, the former Alabama star now must beat out Stetson Bennett for the right to be named the Los Angeles Rams’ backup quarterback.

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Who is Simpson and how did he become a first-round QB?

“Ty Simpson definitely will (play). I haven’t decided on Stetson Bennett IV yet,” said Rams head coach Sean McVay, prior to the team’s preseason opener vs the Kansas City Chiefs on Saturday.

The 6ft 1in and 211lb Simpson spent three seasons as a Crimson Tide backup, then led Bama to an 11-4 record and the College Football Playoffs when he finally was given the ball as a full-time starter.

While the ‘perfect’ Mendoza was pegged for months as the No. 1 overall pick by Tom Brady‘s Las Vegas Raiders, Simpson bounced between the middle of the first round and the third round in many mock drafts.

Ultimately, he landed in LA with the No. 13 pick, but some draft analysts believe he will eventually be better than Mendoza.

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“Ty is super smart,” ESPN NFL Draft analyst Jordan Reid exclusively told talkSPORT.

“He’s really cerebral and I think he’s ahead of the the learning curve that he’s on. And what I mean by that is he’s only started 15 career games.”

Simpson completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 3,567 yards for Alabama as a junior.

Simpson helped his draft stock at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, showcasing pro-ready accuracy and field discipline.

Bama star loved watching Showtime Mahomes

“I promise you people are going to be surprised about how the ball pops off of his (Simpson’s) hands. He will rip the football,” NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky said on ESPN.

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The native of Martin, Tennessee grew up admiring one of the greatest QBs of all-time and drew early inspiration from Patrick Mahomes.

“The greatest aspect for me is probably the way I extend plays and how I can beat the defense through arm angles,” Simpson told VolQuest.

“Patrick Mahomes prides himself with no-look passes and being able to throw on the run and throwing with a strong arm, right? Well not many defenses can stop that and I feel like I can do that from a high school level.”

The 23-year-old Simpson was born on December 21, 2002.

His father, Jason, is the head coach of college football team UT Martin.

Simpson was named the Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year after throwing for 2,827 yards and 41 touchdowns for Westview High School, which he led to the 2A Tennessee State Championship.

Personal faith is a huge part of Simpson’s life

The NFL QB — whose been compared to San Francisco 49ers field general Brock Purdy — was recruited by the University of Tennessee from the eighth grade, yet a coaching change by the Volunteers changed Simpson’s mind.

He eventually chose main SEC rival Alabama after drawing recruiting interest from Clemson and Ole Miss.

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The former Bama star also grew up admiring Tim Tebow, who won two national championships and the Heisman Trophy at Florida, and spent three years in the NFL with the Denver Broncos and New York Jets.

“I loved the way that he (Tebow) played, how passionate he was and how outspoken he was about his faith. I thought that was really cool,” Simpson said on Hey Coach.

“It’s something that I want to be, now that I’m on this platform now. I want people to know, ‘Hey, I’m a Christian first and then I’m a football player.’ I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for my lord and savior Jesus Christ.”

Simpson’s football talent drew interest in 2026 from top college programs including Miami, Ole Miss and Tennessee.

Despite becoming a first-round draft pick, he was offered between $4m and $6.5m in NIL money to hold off on the draft and jump into the transfer portal.

“There is no doubt in my mind that the last jersey I wanted to wear in college was the Alabama Crimson Tide jersey,” Simpson told AL.com.

“I came there. I stayed there. The last thing I wanted to do was tarnish my legacy and go somewhere else where I didn’t go out of high school and I didn’t want to play.

“I love coach (Kalen) DeBoer, I love the University of Alabama. I love the fans. I love everything about it. Hopefully in the draft, whenever my name gets written on a card, they write the University of Alabama on there. It’s going to give me great pride.”

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David Bailey, Jeremiyah Love, Carnell Tate and Arvell Reese followed an emotional Mendoza in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Then the Rams stunned their fans — and McVay — by taking Simpson at No. 13.

“We couldn’t be in more lockstep in every decision that we make,” said McVay, who shot down reports that he was at odds with LA general manager Les Snead over the Simpson decision.

“Couldn’t be more excited about us to continue to lead together, but every decision that we make is collective and collaborative. … This is my buddy right here.”

As the Rams’ first preseason games approaches, Simpson could spend his entire rookie season backing up Stafford while trying to work his way up the depth chart.

The kid who grew up in Tennessee, then chose Alabama over the Vols and was forced to wait for his turn, is ready for the biggest spotlight of his career — whenever that moment arrives.

“Hopefully, he comes away with a guy who treated him the right way, showed him what it was about, what it’s like to be a true professional, and also be yourself,” Stafford said on the Green Light podcast.

“I’m not some robot out there. Love playing the game — you see me mic’d up, I’m running around like crazy, doing all sorts of wild s****, and have fun with the game because it’s a kids’ game.”