The past two seasons have seen the Miami Hurricanes return to prominence. So, it has been seen by many as no mistake that in each of the last two seasons, head coach Mario Cristobal brought in veteran transfers to be the team’s next starting quarterback.
Cam Ward would take the reins in 2024, leading Miami to a 10-3 record, before becoming the first overall pick in the NFL Draft. Then, in 2025, Cristobal would eventually land Carson Beck, who took the Hurricanes to the National Championship Game, before entering the 2026 NFL Draft himself.
Miami and Cristobal would eventually add Darian Mensah following the 2025 season, but he seemingly wasn’t their first choice. Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson shared earlier in the offseason that Miami had offered him $6.5 million to transfer. Now, Simpson was willing to admit that he came close to making the move.
Ty Simpson Had to Give Serious Consideration to Transferring
GettyAlabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson
It’s hard for most people to imagine turning down $6.5 million. Ty Simpson did that, though, and made the move to declare for the NFL Draft instead.
Now, while making an appearance on See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack, Simpson shared that the money was too good not to think about.
“I think the last offer was definitely one that I just had to sit down and consider, because it would have been life-changing money,” Simpson said. “It would have made me the highest-paid player in college, and it was something to where I was like, I can’t just ignore this. I have to sit down and think about it. That’s how I am, I don’t want to do anything sporadic. I want to sit down and think it all out, and it really just came down to how I wanted to be remembered and what do I want to do.”
Simpson was recruited to Alabama by former head coach Nick Saban and had been with the program since 2022, waiting his turn to start for one season there. So, when it came down to the decision, he made sure to talk to Saban.
“I actually talked to Coach Saban about this,” Simpson said. “The things he was talking about were, do you want to play football in college, or do you want to play football professionally? And he was like, ‘Take the money out of it, take the rounds out of it, what do you want to do next year?’ And without a doubt, without hesitation, I said, ‘I want to play professional football.’ And he was like, ‘Well, there’s your answer.’ It was something that I’ve always dreamed of, and I felt that I was ready to take that next step and be the face of a franchise and lead a locker room.”
The situation that Simpson found himself in is a difficult one for players to navigate. If Simpson is selected lower than 35th overall, he’ll be making less in the NFL than Miami offered him. So, it’s a risk to go pro and earn less in some cases. Of course, most college athletes aren’t making starting quarterback money.
What Miami Does at Quarterback Now?
GettyMiami Hurricanes QB Darian Mensah playing with Duke
In the end, Miami did add a veteran quarterback in Darian Mensah, who has previously been the starter at Tulane and Duke. That saw Mensah named a Second-Team All-ACC selection and a Davey O’Brien semifinalist in 2025.
Last year would be Mensah’s only season with Duke, but it gives you a decent idea of the stats he’s capable of putting up in ACC play. He would complete 66.8% of his passes for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns. That mark led the ACC.
In January, ESPN reported that Mensah’s deal with Miami is worth “up to” $4 million. So, it’s safe to say he is going to start for the Hurricanes.
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