In today’s college football landscape, loyalty is becoming a rare commodity. With the rise of NIL money and the transfer portal, players are often faced with a choice that’s as much about business as it is about football. For Ty Simpson, the standout Alabama quarterback, that choice came down to this: take a reported $6 million to transfer and play one more year of college ball-or head to the NFL and chase the dream he’s been working toward his whole life.
Simpson chose the latter.
Despite offers from multiple major programs reportedly dangling eight-figure potential over the long term, Simpson is sticking with his original plan: declare for the NFL Draft and leave college football with his legacy at Alabama intact.
“There is no doubt in my mind that the last jersey I wanted to wear in college was the Alabama Crimson Tide jersey,” Simpson told AL.com. “I came there.
I stayed there. The last thing I wanted to do was tarnish my legacy and go somewhere else where I didn’t go out of high school and I didn’t want to play.”
That’s not just a soundbite-it’s a statement that cuts against the grain of the current college football era. In a time when players are understandably chasing financial security and better on-field opportunities through the portal, Simpson’s decision is a throwback to a different kind of college football loyalty. He’s betting on himself, yes-but he’s also honoring the program that helped shape him.
“I love Coach DeBoer, I love the University of Alabama. I love the fans.
I love everything about it,” Simpson continued. “Hopefully in the draft whenever my name gets written on a card, they write the University of Alabama on there.
It’s going to give me great pride.”
That pride isn’t just about school spirit-it’s about legacy. Simpson stayed through coaching changes, competition, and the ever-present lure of bigger paydays elsewhere.
He’s seen teammates come and go. He’s seen the landscape shift around him.
But through it all, he stayed the course in Tuscaloosa.
And let’s be clear: this wasn’t an easy decision. Turning down millions of dollars is no small thing, especially when those offers come with the promise of a starting job and a national spotlight.
But Simpson’s choice says a lot about his mindset heading into the next level. He’s not just trying to cash in-he’s trying to build something lasting.
In an era where college football is increasingly transactional, Simpson’s move is a reminder that, for some players, the name on the front of the jersey still matters. And for NFL teams evaluating more than just arm strength and footwork, that kind of character and commitment could go a long way.
Ty Simpson’s next chapter is about to begin. And wherever he lands in the NFL, he’ll carry with him not just his talent, but the pride of having finished what he started in Alabama.