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More than a month after the Rams shocked the NFL by drafting Simpson at No. 13, Stafford explains how he's helping the rookie learn and to avoid drama
May 28, 2026 at 12:57 pm ET • 3 min read
It's been more than a month since the Los Angeles Rams made arguably the most shocking pick of the 2026 NFL Draft -- Ty Simpson at 13th overall. With the Rams selecting Matthew Stafford's potential replacement, there were a lot of questions about how the reigning NFL MVP would react to the pick, and now, 34 days later, we finally have the answer.
During a Wednesday appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show," Stafford gave his first public interview since the draft. He received questions about how communication with Simpson has been. Based on Stafford's answer, it doesn't sound like there's been much drama so far.
"I'm in there with him in the meeting room, on the practice field, trying to share as much knowledge as I can," Stafford said.
The 37-year-old even pointed out that he used to watch Simpson play at Alabama. Before being drafted with the first overall pick in 2009, Stafford attended rival Georgia, and it seems that he got a detailed look at Simpson back in September when he threw for 276 yards and two touchdowns in an Alabama win over the Bulldogs.
"Listen, I was a big fan of Ty when he was playing at Alabama," Stafford said. "I sent him a text after he got drafted and said, 'Really enjoyed watching you play, you were just in the wrong jersey. You weren't a Dawg.' I did enjoy watching him play. He's a talented kid."
Although Stafford sent a text, it should be noted that it definitely didn't come on the night Simpson was drafted or even the next day. During his introductory press conference on April 24 -- the day after he was drafted -- Simpson confirmed he had not yet heard from the veteran.
"I have not," Simpson said, before pointing out that Stafford's wife did reach out. "Kelly [Stafford] has actually texted me on Instagram and welcomed me. She told me to hit her up with my family if we never need anything, but I can't wait to talk to Matthew. I'm super ecstatic because I just want to pick his brain about everything and soak up all that knowledge. That dude is…how he goes about things is super, super awesome. I've been a big fan for a long time."
With Stafford's replacement on the roster, that could make things awkward, but it doesn't seem likely to happen in Los Angeles. There are plenty of veteran quarterbacks who don't exactly embrace the role of serving as a mentor, but Stafford seems open to the job.
"I'm going to do everything I can to get this team ready to play, to win, but at the same time, share some of the knowledge that I've gained throughout my career," Stafford said. "I wouldn't be in the seat that I am right now, talking to you guys after a really good football season, if I didn't have people helping me out along the way, so I'm happy to do that. He's been a sponge."
Of course, Stafford might have had a different tune if this interview had taken place last week. Stafford signed a revised contract on Tuesday that gives him a raise for 2026 and puts him in a good spot for 2027. It would have been interesting to hear Stafford's thoughts on the Simpson pick BEFORE he got his new contract, because at that point his future would still have been up in the air, with the Rams not making any sort of commitment to him. However, Stafford decided to lay low after the pick, and he didn't speak with the media until after his revised contract was signed.
The situation in Los Angeles marks just the second time in the Super Bowl era that the team with the reigning MVP used its first-round pick on a quarterback. The only other instance came in 1967 when the Packers used a first-round pick on quarterback Don Horn after Bart Starr won the MVP in 1966.
Stafford holds his first press conference of the offseason this afternoon, and when that happens, he'll likely face even more questions about the Rams' decision to use a first-round pick on his potential replacement.
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