The year was 2021, with tequila on the table in Cabo San Lucas, Sean McVay decided to FaceTime the Rams front office. He then went on to make one of the most aggressive pitches to get in a new quarterback. That was Matthew Stafford. Days later, he was a Ram, and Jared Goff was gone. And since then, they have been close. So, when the Rams used the 13th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, a potential successor, it wasn’t just the selection that stood out. It was McVay’s reaction.

Sean McVay didn’t look thrilled in the post-draft press conference. He usually has a high-energy presence, but there he looked out of character, simply stoic and he almost looked angry. It screamed, “He had nothing to do with this decision.” That it was Les Snead who made that call. And if his facial reactions didn’t already say that, his words sure will.

When asked if Simpson was the player that the Rams had targeted, McVay decided to not answer that and instead shift the focus back to Matthew Stafford. He made it clear that the Rams offense still runs through Stafford and that Simpson would enter for the backup role!

“When you do look at it, I think the thing you like is the body of work—let’s make one thing clear, this is Matthew’s team—you get a chance to be able to address the backup quarterback. We’ve got Stetson [Bennett]. We’ve talked about the importance of Jimmy [Garoppolo].

“So to be able to add somebody that you can evaluate a body of work where he was asked to play the position and a lot of things that do translate in terms of concepts, reading with his feet, and some of the different things in the drop back in the play-action game and the movement game.” Now is the selection surprising?

Not really. Throughout the draft process, Simpson’s name has been tied to the Rams. From early praise by Louis Riddick to mock drafts from Todd McShay projecting him into their range. The selection itself wasn’t necessarily shocking. But the timing sure is.

Normally, teams draft quarterbacks of the future when the present one is facing issues. But Stafford is not. He is coming off a season where he played at an MVP level. He reaffirmed why McVay pushed so hard to get him to LA in the first place. And maybe that’s where all that tension from McVay stems from. Plus, their bond deepened after Stafford’s 2025 season.

He entered the year dealing with uncertainty because of a back injury. Through difficult conversations and internal recalibration, he and McVay grew closer than ever. But then, personal relations don’t make the calling in the game, and there is a reality behind why this decision came to be.

The reigning league MVP may be aging like a fine wine, but his age cannot be ignored for too long. Even if he continues to perform at the same level, his body could refuse to tolerate the pressure at any time. Yes, Simpson is not replacing him anytime soon, but it shows that Snead is preparing to move on.

McVay has always mentioned that he won’t be coaching for a long time. He would rather be on the desk calling games instead of plays. Yes, he is under contract after signing an extension earlier this year, but all signs point to him not being around once Stafford also hangs up his cleats. Simpson’s arrival only accelerates the entire idea.

Snead, however, also holds a personal reason for bringing Simpson into the fold.

How Simpson landed in LA, ft. Les Snead

Simpson knew he didn’t have enough experience as a starter to enter the NFL. He waited for two years to get the QB1 role at Alabama. He became a star in the first few weeks of the season, as other quarterbacks in his class dimmed. But towards the end of the season, Simpson’s faults began showing, and he was also injured. In the Rose Bowl against Indiana, Simpson and Co. suffered an embarrassing 3-38 defeat. But Snead would rather reward the perseverance.

“He’s still becoming, but I would say the journey that he’s had, I think the thing you appreciate is persevering,” Snead said of Simpson. “The perseverance that you have when you go through, right, let’s call it hard things.”

But here’s the truth…

Snead is good friends with Ty Simpson’s dad. In fact, when Simpson was contemplating his NFL declaration, Snead talked him into going ahead. The team did not contact the quarterback before the draft, making it a head-turning decision. But what became clear was their interest in him.

The Rams were initially going to pick him up with their 30th overall pick, but sent it to another team. Instead, they used their 13th pick from Atlanta via a draft-day trade one year ago on Simpson. What’s even more surprising is that although he was the second-best quarterback in this draft class, he was miles away from the reigning National Champion and the first-overall pick, Fernando Mendoza. Many even saw Simpson being picked in the second round.

Sean McVay did not shy away from taking that jab at Snead. When asked about it, McVay referred to the 13th selection as “basically an extra pick.”

Meanwhile, the coach continued believing in his current QB1.

“He’s gonna be able to play as long as he’s able to, whether that’s one, two more, who knows, he might be one of those guys that plays late into his 40s,” the head coach said. “I wouldn’t have a problem with that.”

Stafford turned 38 in February, but he’s still playing at a high level. He just had an outstanding season, leading the NFL in touchdown passes and passing yards, and even winning his first MVP at 37. A 71.2 QBR that defies his age. He can very well be one of the rare exceptions in the league, but drafting Ty Simpson seems like the Rams are putting a full stop on Stafford’s career.

Simpson still finished with 3,567 passing yards and 28 touchdowns, with a 64.5% completion rate. It’s not quite on the level of Stafford, but who knows, this might turn out to be a great fit for the Rams in the future.

Matthew Stafford reacts positively to Ty Simpson’s selection

Jay Glazer reported on X that McVay personally told Stafford about the decision before the pick was made. It was also made clear to him that Simpson was being drafted to be his successor. Such news likely makes the end of one’s career look very real, but according to McVay, Stafford didn’t show much disdain for the new QB.

“He was great. He’s always a stud in every sense of the word”, McVay said.

Ty Simpson hit the jackpot by getting drafted to the Rams. Currently, only Bennett is his competition to be QB2. Meanwhile, he gets to learn from one of the best in the league, and he doesn’t even have to spend a lot of time before he takes the crown from Matthew Stafford.

“He’s one of the greatest of all time, quarterback-wise,” Simpson said. “And we watched his film all the time when I was at Bama. So the fact that I get to be in a room and soak up all that knowledge is something that I couldn’t ask for a better situation.”

With time, will Sean McVay warm up towards his future QB1? Or would it truly be the end of an era?