The draft class of 2026 took the center stage at the 32nd NFLPA Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles, where 42 of the most promising rookies came together. The Los Angeles Rams were represented by two of the most exciting duos from the 2026 NFL Draft: the first-round quarterback Ty Simpson and the second-round tight end Max Klare. While the former Alabama star was soaking in the dream-come-true moment, a jersey-related fiasco stole the show, for all the wrong reasons.

During the Rookie Premiere event, Ty wore the old design jersey, which the fans were quick to notice. With the buzz around it, the franchise explained why the rookie did not wear the updated design.

“Rams reached out to me to explain why the Rookies are not wearing the NEW Primary Uniform!” noted Rams Up Podcast‘s Ian on X. “We have nothing to do with the Rookie Premiere, it is run by the NFL and Fanatics who have the new uniforms. We are trying to understand why, but we are not involved in any way!- Rams Representative.”

The two-time Super Bowl champions ditched the gradient numbers, scrapped the chest tag name, and changed the horn designs on the sleeves. Given that the team has already released the new jersey, Ty was expected to wear that just like the rest of the rookies from the other franchises.

The 23-year-old gave a poor first impression to the NFL world after wearing the outdated gradient jersey. Simpson was drafted over three weeks ago; the company certainly had ample time to arrange the latest version of the Rams jersey. They have the exclusive licensing power and the selection and distribution of each player’s uniform.

A team like the Tennessee Titans had a drastic overhaul of their jersey for the 2026 season, and hence, they were kept on the high-priority list. The Rams, on the other hand, had smaller branding changes in comparison. So, it’s a possibility that Fanatics relied on existing warehouse inventory instead of bringing in their new 2026 Nike designs.

The Fanatics have struggled with merchandise issues over the years. The fans continue to deal with the jersey quality that doesn’t match the expectations. For instance, during the Super Bowl LX season, the company faced backlash from the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks fans. They dealt with a big jersey shortage across the nation. To cover the inventory disaster, they reportedly rolled out low-quality alternate black jerseys that did not remotely match the on-field merchandise.

The irony is that the new Ty Simpson jersey is already available for pre-order on the Fanatics website. But when the quarterback attended their event, they failed to hand him the new version, bringing unwanted heat to the Los Angeles Rams’ image. While the jersey mistake drew some attention, the pocket-passer is locked in for his first professional season alongside Matthew Stafford, who recently reached out to the rookie.

Matthew Stafford officially welcomes Ty Simpson to the Los Angeles Rams

The Los Angeles Rams had only one first-round pick in the recently concluded draft, and when they picked Ty Simpson in the first round, it turned heads. It is not like the rookie does not deserve to be a first-round pick. It is hard to justify the move because the Rams QB room features last season’s MVP, Matthew Stafford.

The 38-year-old recently gave a warm welcome to the rookie through a text, teasing him about his college background.

“It was funny because, of course, he was like, ‘Welcome, man. I’m super pumped,” Simpson said to the L.A. Times in a recent interview. “He was like, ‘Loved watching you play, but you played for the wrong jersey,’ because he’s pumping up Georgia.”

Stafford’s lighthearted jab was to Ty’s Alabama background because the former played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs. In the Southeastern Conference (SEC), the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs have a historical rivalry.

They are set to practice together during the team’s OTA workout sessions, scheduled to start on May 26. With the veteran quarterback set to be the QB1 for the organization, the former Alabama star is expected to spend his rookie year as a backup, sharpening his skills from the battle-tested veteran, which could pave the way for him to become the future pillar of the Rams’ offense.