Ty Simpson didn’t have to wait long to make an impression in his first taste of NFL action.
The former Alabama quarterback delivered a stellar preseason debut for the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday, completing 21 of 25 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns in a 20-12 comeback victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
For a player who generated plenty of discussion when the Rams selected him No. 13 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, Simpson’s performance was an encouraging first step.
A great start to the Preseason for @RamsNFL rookie QB @ty_simpson06.
And perhaps more importantly, he looked comfortable running Sean McVay’s offense.
Simpson Looked Like He Belonged
Simpson entered the game after Stetson Bennett handled the Rams’ opening two drives and quickly settled into a rhythm.
The former Alabama standout completed 84% of his passes, avoided turnovers, and consistently made the throws Los Angeles needed him to make.
Both of Simpson’s touchdown passes went to running back Dean Connors, helping the Rams pull away from Kansas City in the second half.
It wasn’t necessarily a performance filled with highlight-reel throws.
Instead, Simpson showed the traits that made the Rams comfortable using such a valuable draft pick on him: accuracy, poise, decision-making, and the ability to keep the offense moving.
McVay certainly seemed pleased with what he saw.
“He took what the defense gave him,” McVay said after the game, praising Simpson for reading the defense, using his feet and keeping the ball in play.
That may be one of the biggest takeaways from the debut.
Simpson didn’t appear overwhelmed by the moment.
Why Alabama Fans Should Be Paying Attention
Alabama fans watched Simpson spend several seasons waiting for his opportunity before taking over as the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback in 2025.
Once he finally got the job, he put together an impressive season, throwing for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns while completing 64.5% of his passes. He also threw only five interceptions in 15 starts.
That production ultimately helped convince the Rams to make him the 13th overall pick.
Saturday’s performance was obviously only one preseason game, and Simpson was working primarily against Kansas City’s reserve players.
Still, preseason games are important for rookies because they provide an opportunity to show that the game doesn’t look too big for them.
Simpson accomplished that.
He looked calm. He was accurate. He protected the football. And he showed enough mobility to make plays when things weren’t immediately available downfield.
Those are all encouraging signs for a quarterback who could eventually become the Rams’ successor to Matthew Stafford.
The Rams May Have Found Their Quarterback of the Future
The circumstances surrounding Simpson’s selection made the pick one of the more surprising decisions of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Los Angeles already had Stafford under center and was built to compete for a Super Bowl, making the selection of a quarterback at No. 13 seem like a move focused more on the future than the present.
That’s exactly why Simpson’s development will be so interesting to follow.
He isn’t being asked to immediately save the Rams.
Instead, he gets the opportunity to learn behind Stafford, one of the most accomplished quarterbacks of his generation, while working in McVay’s offense.
That could be an ideal situation for the former Alabama star.
For now, Simpson’s job is simple: continue developing and make the most of every opportunity he gets.
After Saturday, though, it’s becoming a little easier to understand why the Rams believed he was worth the No. 13 pick.
And for Alabama fans, that’s certainly something worth watching.
Former Alabama QB Ty Simpson Impresses with Stellar NFL Preseason Debut