Rams head coach Sean McVay makes it clear Ty Simpson has no shot at starting

© Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Rams’ head coach Sean McVay made it clear that the reigning NFL MVP Matthew Stafford is not in jeopardy of losing his job after the Rams drafted Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.

This is what many expected to be the case the moment Simpson was drafted. The decision clearly looked like a move to secure the future of the franchise, but McVay still felt it was fitting to let reporters know who is leading the charge on the football field for the organization.

“Let’s make one thing clear, this is Matthew’s team,” McVay said during his press conference after the first round of the draft. “You get a chance to be able to address the backup quarterback. We’ve got Stetson. We’ve talked about the importance of Jimmy [Garoppolo]. To be able to add somebody that you can evaluate a body of work where he was asked to play the position and a lot of things that do translate in terms of concepts, reading with his feet, some of the different things in the drop back in the play action game and the movement game.”

#Ramshouse HC Sean McVay On whether Ty Simpson was there first target or whether other players were in consideration? : “Let’s make one thing clear, this is Matthew’s team. You get a chance to be able to address the backup quarterback. We’ve got Stetson. We’ve talked about the… pic.twitter.com/rjdBhJSFQD

— Nick Hamilton (@NickHamilton213) April 24, 2026

Simpson was the second quarterback taken in the 2026 NFL Draft when the Rams selected him.