Even a bye week couldn’t cool off the buzz about Ty Simpson. The Alabama quarterback has quietly made consistency his greatest asset, leading No. 4 Alabama to a 7-1 record (5-0 in the SEC) with a crazy 20-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. Despite all this, Ty Simpson still isn’t receiving enough credit in the Heisman discussion.

In most odds tables, he is ranked below Fernando Mendoza of Indiana and Julian Sayin of Ohio State. But there’s a catch. Simpson has more ranked wins than both of them. Even the committee recognized that Bama winning four straight against ranked opponents (two away from home) is extraordinary. Simpson’s mom, though, is taking in the moment.

In the recent episode of Coach’s Wife Life, his mom, Julie Simpson, talked about the kind of belief she had in their son’s abilities. “I have always thought he could win the Heisman,” she recalled the moment she saw his name on the watch list. Having said that, Ty’s parents also saw their son being the backup behind two Bama quarterbacks. Finally, this year, he had his moment.

“But you know, to see it actually be on paper, I’m like, really? That’s just it. It brings tears to my eyes. Everything does. So, I cry all the time,” Julie said, her voice filled with a motherly awe and pride.

It’s years of waiting and questioning everything until suddenly things begin to manifest. She said, “I just I can’t believe it. Honestly, I can because I know what he’s capable of.” It offers a glimpse into the emotional side of the Heisman hype. For Julie, her son getting the limelight has meant a slight change in how people see her.

She laughs at the fact that once she was known as “the coach’s wife,” but now everyone says, “Oh, that’s Ty’s mom.” Jason Simpson, Ty’s father, has been the coach of UT Martin since 2006. He even missed an Alabama game this season because he was fulfilling his head coaching duties. Ty’s prominence didn’t begin in college.

Julie clearly remembers where it all started. “Oh, that probably really started more in high school. It was like, ‘Wait, are you Ty Simpson’s mom?’ And we would go on visits and it was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, I am.'” 

So far, so good for Ty Simpson, but bigger challenges await. Fortunately for Bama fans, their QB1 understands the ultimate prize.

Heisman can wait, Ty Simpson’s mission is Alabama

Even Vegas is beginning to believe Ty Simpson’s hype. When the 2026 NFL Draft odds dropped last week, Simpson was sitting at the top. The quiet, laser-focused quarterback from Alabama is now the clear favorite to go No. 1 overall. That same guy who patiently waited his turn in Tuscaloosa for three years is suddenly the nation’s most talked-about prospect. The NFL world is buzzing, and fans can’t stop comparing him to Bryce Young. But Simpson seems to be too busy grinding to take notice of all the hype.

While everyone else is obsessed with Heisman odds and draft rumors, Simpson has all his eyes and heart on “championship.” He brushed it off when Jim Rome asked him about traveling to NY for the Heisman ceremony on December 13. “There are only four Heisman trophies,” he said. “But there are six national championships. So that’s what I really care about,” he added.

That’s the standard at Tuscaloosa. He’s been in that locker room and seen those banners; he gets that the Heisman Trophy may look good on a shelf, but rings and trophies will stay forever in the Tide’s hallway.