Ty Simpson was highly rated in the 2026 draft class, but only a few expected that the Los Angeles Rams would be the team to pick him.  After all, it was not too long ago that their franchise QB Matthew Stafford had won the AP NFL MVP honors. After the Rams decided to draft Simpson with the 13th pick, there was a lot of conversation on what that meant for Stanford. While coach Sean McVay has guaranteed that the Super Bowl-winning QB continues to be the star on the team, a Rams legend has detailed what led to the franchise making the decision.

“I just look at what’s been going on with Matthew. At one point, not really sure how long he’s going to play, then there was last year, the kind of dollar amount and matter to him in the contract,” said Andrew Whitworth on The Rich Eisen Show. “It feels like not in a negative way, but just Matthew trying to figure out what does he wants the end of his career to look like. How much longer is he gonna play?  said Rams legend Andrew Whitworth on the Rich Eisen Show. ”

Undoubtedly, Simpson was a highly touted prospect after his performances with Alabama in college. He threw for 3,567 yards and had 28 touchdowns.  But with an MVP already on your roster, the decision to pick Simpson was always going to be questioned.

Aged 38, Stafford certainly is not going to be playing too many more years, unless he decides to finish his career like Tom Brady, who played until he was 45. He is a fifteen-season veteran and has been playing in the league since 2009. When the Rams lost the NFC Conference Championship game against the Seattle Seahawks, he did not commit to playing the 2026 season.

While there is no doubt that Stafford will be the perfect mentor for Simpson, the former Rams player highlighted the team’s desire to continue winning as one of the reasons they decided to draft him in the first round.

“I’m just looking at what the Los Angeles Rams have looked like under Sean McVay,” said the four-time Pro Bowl selection. “They have continued to try to, ‘Hey, we are always going to be successful, we are always going all in to try and win.’ So why would they not be considering, ‘Hey, if we have a high enough pick, why would we not want a quarterback of the future?’ That might not play for four years, but the reality is we’ve got it. If you like this guy enough, why wouldn’t  we do it?”

The signal-caller is currently signed with an $84 million contract, which will run out after the 2026 season. Therefore, it is not far-fetched to say that this could be his last year with the team or in the league.

Andrew compared the situation to his stint at the Cincinnati Bengals, where he spent his initial eleven seasons before switching to the Rams. Although the Bengals picked Cedric Ogbuehi as a potential replacement for Andrew in 2015, it didn’t threaten his position, as he played two more seasons with the franchise.

While Stafford is set to return for Sean McVay, Andrew Whitworth also addressed what the quarterback’s likely future is going to look like, regardless of the Rams’ decision about him.

Andrew Whitworth thinks Matthew Stafford will retire on his own terms

After leading the Detroit Lions offense for over a decade, Matthew Stafford joined the Los Angeles Rams in 2021, and it was a game-changing move for the franchise. He not only led the team to Super Bowl glory in his very first season at the SoFi Stadium, but he also kept a great consistency, leading them to the postseason in four of his five seasons at L.A.

As doubts cast over his future, especially due to his age, he will take retirement on his own terms, per Whitworth.

“Matthew Stafford will play the game of football in the NFL for as long Matthew Stafford wants to,” Andrew said during the same interview. “Anybody would be absolutely insane to not want this guy to be your quarterback. And I think the Rams feel the exact same way. You are going to be the guy here until you don’t want to be the guy here anymore.”

The 38-year-old threw 4,707 passing yards and an impressive 46 touchdowns. It indicates that he still can play elite football, which is why there is no danger of him losing his spot under any circumstance. The decision to draft Simpson seems like it was to future-proof the franchise, as they did not want to risk losing a talent like him if Stafford were to retire this offseason or next. While they will be happy to have Stafford as their QB, the front office would be hoping Simpson can learn under the tutelage of the veteran in case he has to take over the reins, in case Stafford has any injuries next season.