Matthew Stafford and the Rams’ Future with Ty Simpson

At 38, Matthew Stafford continues to stand out as one of the leading quarterbacks in the NFL, even securing his first league MVP award just last February. He recorded a career-high of 46 touchdowns, surpassing his rival, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye. As the 2026 season approaches, marking Stafford’s 18th in the league, there’s a sense that the Rams are pivoting towards the future, especially after their recent draft moves.

The Rams selected Ty Simpson, a former Alabama quarterback, with the 13th overall pick, raising eyebrows about Stafford’s role moving forward. This decision certainly stirred up opinions, including those from Kelly Stafford, Matthew’s wife, who expressed her feelings about the pick.

Simpson mentioned that he received a warm welcome from Kelly Stafford through social media, which is, I think, a pretty nice touch for someone just starting his NFL journey. He shared during his first press conference, “Kelly actually messaged me on Instagram and welcomed me and told me to contact her if I needed anything. I’m really looking forward to speaking with Matthew. I just want to learn from him, so I’m quite excited.”

Simpson had a successful tenure at Alabama, racking up 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns in the 2025 season, and it seems he’s ready for the challenge ahead. However, Rams coach Sean McVay has tried to clarify that Simpson’s arrival isn’t a direct competition against Stafford for the starting position.

“There were a lot of players we were considering, but I want to make one thing perfectly clear: this is Matthew’s team,” McVay stated recently. He added that having Simpson on board provides flexibility with backup quarterbacks.

Interestingly, Ty Simpson’s parents had an early interaction with Rams general manager Les Snead during a visit to Los Angeles for the Rose Bowl back in January. His father, Jason Simpson, holds a significant position as the head football coach at UT Martin.