Ty Simpson hasn’t taken a snap in a regular season NFL game yet. But the rookie quarterback already knows exactly what he signed up for when the Rams took him 13th overall. And he’s not sugarcoating the learning curve.
Speaking with ESPN’s Sarah Barshop, the former Alabama star described absorbing Sean McVay’s system the way a lot of guys do. Only he used a better analogy than most.
Drinking from a fire hydrant
“It’s like drinking from a fire hydrant,” Simpson said. “You’re expected to do a lot.”
That’s the reality for any quarterback walking into a McVay offense. The scheme is complex. It asks a ton of the guy under center. And Simpson isn’t shying away from that responsibility. He actually kind of likes it.
“The quarterback runs the show here, just how I like it,” Simpson said. “But it’s just making sure that you’re disciplined and you’re detail-oriented.”
He also made a point that might surprise some fans. According to Simpson, the most important person in McVay’s offense isn’t Puka Nacua or Davante Adams. It’s whoever is taking the snap. Matthew Stafford right now. Eventually, maybe Simpson himself.
Mixed reactions to the pick
When the Rams drafted Simpson at No. 13, the response was all over the map. Some analysts loved the bet on a young arm with upside. Others thought it was a reach, especially considering Stafford just put together an MVP-caliber season. The logic went: why draft a quarterback that high when you already have a Hall of Fame guy playing at an elite level?
McVay’s own reaction went viral. Cameras caught his face and body language right after the pick was announced, and the internet did what it does. But McVay later made it clear he was fully on board with the selection.
Either way, Simpson is walking into a situation where everyone will be watching. That comes with the territory when you’re a first-round quarterback drafted by a team that wasn’t supposed to need one yet. But he’s got a chance to prove he’s the real heir to Stafford’s throne. And that the Rams were smart to take the gamble at 13.
For now, he’s just trying to keep up with the water pressure.
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