Polarizing QB prospect admits that Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy has shown interest in making him a part of the team
The Steelers have shown interest in one of the more polarizing prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft at this week’s Scouting Combine.
Ty Simpson is one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft. There is an argument to be made that from Week 3 to Week 9 of the College Football season, Simpson was the best quarterback in the nation from a statistical and eye-test standpoint.
He led the Alabama Crimson Tide back to the SEC championship and came from behind, down 17 points to the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman, to win a College Football Playoff game. But there was some clear regression and injuries that could have some teams out on Simpson. That’s not the case with one of the biggest brands in the NFL, however.
Ty Simpson reveals details about his meeting with Pittsburgh Steelers HC Mike McCarthy
“It was really cool because me and Steelers Coach Mike McCarthy we’re just going back and forth. By the time that we were finished, it felt like just five minutes, just because of how much fun we had,” Simpson said during his 2026 NFL Combine presser via YouTube. “So I love Coach McCarthy, love the Steelers, I love those guys, and I’m super excited to get to know them.”
The Steelers remain in a holding pattern at the most important position in sports. The only two quarterbacks under contract for 2026 are Will Howard and Mason Rudolph. Pittsburgh GM Omar Khan confirmed earlier in the week that the Steelers would like to have Rodgers back, and that they are willing to wait, but not as long as last year.
The problem is, Rodgers is yet another band-aid. The Steelers need to find their quarterback of the future, something Simpson believes he’s more than capable of being.
Ty Simpson sees himself as a franchise quarterback
“I feel like I’m ready. I’m a franchise quarterback,” added Simpson. “Like I said earlier, Alabama prepares you the most for the NFL, and with the infrastructure that they had, and the guidance from Coach Saban, Coach DeBoer, Coach Grubb, and all the coordinators that I had before. I ran an NFL-type system, and it’s definitely prepared me for saying those long play calls, saying those checks, making sure that I get us in the right protection.”
The concern with Simpson is the lack of true starting experience. Despite spending three years at the Capstone, being coached under some of the best in the sport, and also being a coach’s kid, Simpson has just 15 career starts.
That will constrain his projection in the eyes of many teams. We have a history of quarterbacks being drafted with 15 or fewer starts, and frankly, it’s not pretty. Simpson will be betting on his elite intangibles and processing to make sure he’s the outlier.
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