Ty Simpson shrugs off Rams NFL draft backlash

The Los Angeles Rams selecting Ty Simpson with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft immediately became the biggest story of the three day spectacle. But not in a good way.

Confusion, criticism and debate rained down on the team and the former Alabama quarterback from all corners of the sporting world.

All of that conversation wasn’t without merit.

The Rams were fresh off an NFC Championship Game appearance with Matthew Stafford still playing at an elite level. Many fans wanted another weapon, an offensive lineman or ANYTHING to push the teams Super Bowl odds even higher. Certainly not a quarterback who might not see meaningful snaps for years.

Ty Simpson heard all of it. He just didn’t care.

“I really didn’t care, to be honest with you,” Simpson told Sports Illustrated at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere. “Everybody can have an opinion, but it’s my job to take care of my business.”

The Rams have never operated like a franchise desperate for public approval. They traded draft picks for stars when the rest of the league called them reckless. They won a Super Bowl doing it. Now they’re trying something different: planning for life after Stafford before their backs are completely against the wall.

McVay shut down any rumors of a quarterback controversy shortly after drafting the quarterback, “Let’s make one thing clear, this is Matthew Stafford’s team.”

And Simpson understands his current assignment.

The former Alabama quarterback won’t walk into Los Angeles expecting to take Stafford’s job. Stafford is now signed through 2027 and coming off an MVP season in which he threw for 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns. Instead, Simpson views this as an opportunity to sit inside one of football’s most rookie-friendly environments and absorb everything possible.

“It’s awesome,” Simpson said of sharing a room with Stafford. “He’s just an A-plus guy, A-plus player.”

“I think both [Stafford and Davante Adams] are two guys who are one of the greatest at their positions,” Simpson continued, “The fact that I can watch both of them at the same time on my team, it’s a big advantage for me.”

In addition to Stafford and Adams, Simpson gets to grown in McVay’s offensive ecosystem and he has zero pressure to buoy a franchise immediately. He can develop quietly while learning from one of the smartest quarterbacks of this generation.

Steve Young sat. Aaron Rodgers sat. Even Patrick Mahomes sat. For now, Simpson seems perfectly comfortable to do the same, but recognizes the advantageous position he sits in and the massive responsibility that awaits him once his chance inevitably comes.

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