Rams’ McVay didn’t seem excited about pick of QB Simpson

The Los Angeles Rams are supposed to be chasing the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West. So when the Rams selected Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson with the No. 13 pick in first round of the NFL Draft on Thursday, it caught a lot of people off guard.

Maybe even the Rams’ own coach.

Brock Huard: Rams’ QB pick at No. 13 a gift to Seattle Seahawks

The Rams’ press conference with head coach Sean McVay and general manager Les Snead made waves on Thursday night, mainly because of McVay’s comments and body language.

“Let’s make one thing clear: This is Matthew’s team,” McVay said, referring to reigning MVP and current Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Well, that’s one way to welcome your new first-round pick.

Another thing McVay said that didn’t really have a lot of enthusiasm behind it?

“There was a lot of players that we liked, and there was a lot of thought that kind of went into it.”

That lack of excitement was noticed quickly by NFL analysts and reporters.

After the press conference, CBS Sports’ Bryant McFadden said it felt like McVay “wasn’t happy” with the Rams’ decision to take Simpson, who didn’t get much experience as the starting quarterback at Alabama and is coming in as a backup at best just months after the Rams lost to the Seahawks in the NFC Championship.

“That wasn’t encouraging if you’re a fan of the Rams because it felt like they weren’t all-in,” McFadden said.

"That was very awkward to see."

Ran Carthon, @BMac_SportsTalk and @PriscoCBS react to Les Snead and Sean McVay's press conference after the Rams drafted Ty Simpson. pic.twitter.com/fxqsjWeOl1

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) April 24, 2026

Nate Atkins, who covers the Rams for The Athletic, said the press conference was “by far the most muted I have seen a regime about the player they drafted.”

Adding to the perplexing story of the Rams picking Simpson is that Snead has a “very strong relationship” with Simpson’s father and even provided advice to the family about whether he should declare for the draft, according to NFL reporter Albert Breer of The MMQB.

Rams GM Les Snead and UT-Martin coach Jason Simpson have a very strong relationship—to the point where Snead helped advise the family when Jason's son, Ty, was making a decision on whether or not to declare for the draft.

Now, Ty Simpson is a Ram.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) April 24, 2026

Simpson was a starter for only one season with the Crimson Tide, passing for 3,567 yards and leading them to the Rose Bowl after three seasons as a backup.

“The fact that an organization like the Los Angeles Rams believed in me and took a chance on me is just something that I’m so grateful for,” Simpson said.

Believe or not, Simpson may have been the most surprised of anybody that the Rams took him, as he said he had almost no contact with the team prior to the draft.

When asked what he liked most about Simpson’s game, Snead curiously cited “the perseverance that you have when you go through hard things,” namely Simpson’s three years as a backup to Bryce Young and Jalen Milroe, followed by the Crimson Tide’s progression from a season-opening loss to the College Football Playoff last season.

Maybe the closest thing to praise that McVay said of picking Simpson was that Alabama’s offense under offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb has similarities to the Rams’ schemes.

The pick didn’t seem like an intuitive move in the Rams’ desire to maximize the rest of their time with Stafford, who hasn’t committed beyond this season, his 17th.

Snead said it’s not that simple.

“I hate sitting here and going, ‘You’re a player away in a draft from going to the Super Bowl,’” Snead said. “At the end of the day, what we want to accomplish in the draft and any acquisitions that we have is try to engineer as confident a team as possible, and then let’s go to work. … I don’t want to sit here and it’s April and say, ‘OK, we draft one player and let’s go to the Super Bowl.’ There is a lot of work to do between now and then.”

Although the Rams finished one game shy of the Super Bowl last year following their eighth winning season in nine years under McVay, they still had the 13th pick from Atlanta after a draft-day trade one year ago. McVay referred to the 13th selection as “basically … an extra pick,” seemingly saying the Rams felt free to take a flyer on the second-best quarterback in the draft rather than taking a lesser risk.

Snead rarely picks in the first round, repeatedly moving his top selections for veteran talent or trading back. Los Angeles’ only previous first-round pick since Jared Goff in 2016 was Jared Verse, the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year chosen 19th overall in 2024.

Snead repeated his belief that the Rams have no urgent roster needs after a 12-5 regular season and two playoff victories before their heartbreaking loss to Seattle in the NFC Championship — and he apparently used that strength to take a flyer on his possible quarterback of the future earlier than anybody expected.

This post includes contributions from The Associated Press.

Stacy Rost: Three things the Jadarian Price pick tells us about Seahawks

Related

Seahawks claim OT from Chiefs ahead of preseason finaleNFC West Check-In: LA Rams reacquire former 2nd-round WR in surprising tradeSeahawks announce QB plan for preseason finale vs ChiefsSeahawks’ Mike Macdonald ‘can’t wait’ to work with new team ownersSalk: Leonard Williams sets his path to being a Seahawks ROH memberBrock & Salk: Leonard Williams deal ‘great news’ for Seahawks