The Los Angeles Rams made Ty Simpson the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Now the formerAlabama quarterback is headed to the NFL. But the story behind the prospect runs deeper than what happens on draft night.
Simpson’s story runs through a coaching father, a devoted mother, a younger brother carving his own path, and a faith that reshaped the man behind the mechanics. Simpson arrives on draft night not just because of talent, but because of the people who built him. Here’s what you need to know about the Simpson family.
Ty Simpson’s Dad Jason Has Coached College Football for Nearly Two Decades
Football is the family business in the Simpson household. Jason Simpson has served as head coach of UT Martin since 2006, according to EssentiallySports reporter Garima Yadav, guiding the program to two Ohio Valley Conference championships along the way. That tenure gave Ty a sideline education most quarterback prospects never receive. He told reporters he grew up inside that locker room, and the Skyhawks program was, in his words, his Alabama.
The Simpson Family Spent Every Fall Weekend Divided Across Three Different Games
During Alabama’s 2025 season, the Simpson family ran on a schedule that would exhaust anyone else. Julie Simpson attended youngest son Graham’s Friday night high school games before driving south to Tuscaloosa each Saturday. Jason, meanwhile, was coaching UT Martin at the exact same time Ty was taking snaps for the Crimson Tide. “We have been living like this for four years now,” Jason told WPSD Local 6 reporter Adam Wells.
Julie Simpson Attended Every Alabama Game Despite Missing Her Husband’s Contests
Ty made a point of crediting his mother throughout Alabama’s 2025 run. “My mom misses my dad’s game every week,” he told reporters, according to WPSD Local 6. “I don’t ask her to do that, but it is because she loves me.” After Alabama’s road win over Georgia, Julie told reporters that every emotion from watching Ty wait three years for his shot came pouring out at once, a feeling she said she wished every parent could experience.
Jason Simpson Led Ty to Faith Starting in Church When Ty Was 7
Jason served as a deacon at the family’s home church, and it was there that a young Ty tugged his father’s khakis during a service and asked what it meant to accept Jesus. Jason walked him through it, and they approached the pastor together, and Ty was baptized shortly after. Years later at Alabama, when Ty hit bottom as a backup, Jason showed up at his apartment and challenged him directly about his faith. That conversation led to a rededication, Ty told Sports Spectrum.
Ty Simpson Was a Five-Star Recruit Who Waited 3 Seasons to Earn the Starting Job
Before Pittsburgh, Simpson was the Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year at Westview High School in Martin, throwing for 2,827 yards and 41 touchdowns his senior season, according to EssentiallySports. He committed to Alabama in January 2022 as a five-star recruit, then spent three seasons behind Bryce Young and Jalen Milroe. When his turn arrived in 2025, he delivered: 3,567 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions across 15 starts. Draft analysts trace his football intelligence and instincts to a childhood spent inside his father’s program.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Rams Draft Pick Ty Simpson’s Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know appeared first on Heavy Sports.