Alabama Crimson Tide's star quarterback Ty Simpson faced one of the defining choices of the modern college football era this offseason — take generational NIL money to remain in college or turn the page and pursue his NFL dream.
Despite multimillion-dollar offers reportedly from several programs, Simpson ultimately decided that leaving Alabama and what he built there came at too high a cost. Simpson officially submitted paperwork to enter the 2026 NFL Draft just ahead of the underclassmen deadline, ending speculation that he might transfer for another season.
The decision came amid reports that multiple schools aggressively pursued him with massive financial offers designed to keep him in college. In an interview with On3 insider Chris Low, Simpson explained why those offers, while tempting, conflicted with what Alabama represented to him.
“Everybody would just remember me as the guy who took all this money and went to Miami or Tennessee for his last year,” said Simpson, via On3's Chris Low. “But I was a captain. I put my hand and footprints in the cement at Denny Chimes. I would have lost everything that I built at Alabama.”
According to On3 report, Simpson’s agent fielded NIL offers that escalated rapidly. The Tennessee Volunteers and the Ole Miss Rebels were both in the $4 million range, while the Miami Hurricanes ultimately pushed the number far higher in a late attempt to change his mind. Simpson acknowledged how the process unfolded from his perspective.
“Miami was kind of like, ‘All right, we’re moving on,’ and then they lost out on Sam Leavitt and came back with that big number,” Simpson said (h/t On3). “And then Ole Miss called again and said they could match it.”
Even with Miami reportedly reaching $6.5 million, Simpson chose not to enter the transfer portal. Instead, he accepted an invitation to the Senior Bowl and doubled down on his pro aspirations. Shortly after making his decision public, he made sure Alabama’s staff heard it directly from him.
“KD and Coach Grubb have been so good to me,” Simpson said. “I’m sure they were wondering what was going on because they wanted a decision from me last Thursday so they could start building their roster for next year.”
The choice followed a difficult end to Alabama’s season, capped by a lopsided College Football Playoff loss to the Indiana Hoosiers, but Simpson still left Tuscaloosa with a resume that positioned him as a legitimate NFL prospect.
Now officially in the draft pool, Simpson will shift his focus toward pre-draft evaluations, interviews, and workouts, aiming to turn his loyalty-driven decision into long-term success at the next level.
