Ty Simpson Addresses McVay's Viral Reaction Video, Reveals What He'll Give Stafford 'Heck' About

Ty Simpson wasn't paying attention to Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay's subdued press-conference reaction after the team selected the Alabama quarterback with the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

Speaking to Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times ahead of the team's voluntary offseason workout program, Simpson said he "didn't really see it" when asked about McVay's press conference after the pick was made.

"I know one thing though," Simpson added. "I know coach McVay has been in contact and he's super fired up. And I'm super excited. I know that I couldn't have asked for a better situation, not only with the best player in the league in front of me but the best coach in the league at the helm."

Even though Simpson will start his career playing behind Matthew Stafford, he does intend to give the reigning NFL MVP "heck" about being a Georgia alum:

"It was funny because, of course, he was like, 'Welcome, man. I'm super pumped.' He was like, 'Loved watching you play, but you played for the wrong jersey,' because he's pumping up Georgia. So when I see him on Monday, I'm going to give him heck about that. But it's cool. I'm super excited, especially having him and [quarterback] Stetson [Bennett] in there, Georgia guys, and me, an Alabama guy, so I've got to stand up for myself."

Simpson and Alabama split two head-to-head meetings last season. The Crimson Tide won 24-21 at Sanford Stadium in the regular season, but the Bulldogs got revenge with a 28-7 victory in the SEC Championship Game.

McVay, who is known to be upbeat at all times in public, didn't seem particularly enthusiastic as he and Rams general manager Les Snead spoke to the media after the first round of the draft.

It was later reported by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that McVay "might have felt the need to downplay" the addition of Simpson "to accentuate his confidence in Stafford."

McVay did clarify after Day 2 of the draft that he and Snead were in complete agreement about drafting Simpson early in the first round and that his stoic response was out of respect to Stafford.

The Rams' selection of Simpson was one of the biggest shockers in the entire draft. B/R's Brent Sobleski gave the pick a C grade, one of only 10 to first-round selections to receive a C or worse.

He does give them a potential successor to Stafford, who turned 38 on Feb. 7, but it was odd to see a team as close to the Super Bowl as they were last season not look to add a player who can provide immediate impact.

Los Angeles did trade for Trent McDuffie and signed Jaylen Watson in free agency, so it's not like Snead and McVay completely ignored what was the biggest issue for the roster in 2025.

Ultimately, though, the Rams' draft class and long-term future will be defined by how Simpson perform when he eventually becomes their full-time starting quarterback.