Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay seems to continue having to reassure his belief in Ty Simpson, but his comments continue to make things worse.
The Los Angeles Rams taking Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at No. 13 overall may not have had the reaction it has if head coach Sean McVay had not appeared as though he was irate over the selection.
Even worse is his over-explanation of the pick, which is not helping anybody. Simply put, he should tell the media and everyone concerned that Simpson is the pick and that is all there is to it.
Following the team's first-round presser, where McVay looked visibly upset, he and general manager Les Snead had to reassure everyone that not only are they in "lock step," but McVay's odd body language and telling reporters that Snead is "his buddy" just seemed to make things even more awkward.
I firmly believe that McVay was upset about the pick, but not for what it meant for the team, but more so for what it meant for quarterback Matthew Stafford. Regardless of what the organization said to the reigning MVP, any player seeing their younger counterpart and replacement being drafted is never going to go over well.
That is especially the case in NFL history when looking at how Aaron Rodgers was drafted to replace Brett Favre in Green Bay, and the same for Jordan Love.
McVay had to play damage control and let it be known that the Rams are still "Stafford's team," which was completely understood. However, his continuous comments on having to make sense of the Simpson pick continue to overshadow that fact.
What's done is done, and that is all there should be to it. Granted, the story of Simpson being drafted will continue to make headlines due to the dramatic undertone that it represents.
Simpson was drafted to replace Stafford.
Now, this does not mean that Stafford is going away any time soon. In fact, the Rams and the quarterback have been working diligently on a new adjusted deal.
The issue is that Stafford seems to favor a year-to-year type of structure, but that may no longer be the case. There were reports that the new restructured contract would potentially be for more than just the 2026 season.
Stafford has also dealt with multiple injuries over the last several seasons, which have also nearly brought him to walk away from the game. Even during the 2025 offseason, his back issue was thought to be very concerning.
The Rams signal caller shed those concerns and put together the best performance of his career. And during NFL Honors, he shocked the NFL by announcing his return.
Stafford is a competitor, and his walking away now would not make sense. He is playing the best football he has ever played, and he is surrounded by Pro Bowl and All-Pro talents on both sides of the ball.
Capitalizing on his remaining years and championship window would make far more sense, and reports seem to indicate that the Rams are considering all of that in a potential multi-year deal.
Now, the issue being wedged into that is the acquisition of Simpson. Snead was adamant about not rushing into finding Stafford's successor, but that was not the case.
It was also revealed that Simpson was told to lie about meeting Snead and McVay to throw other teams off the trail that the Rams would take the young prospect.
The fact that a trade down to acquire more picks and still get Simpson was also not mentioned or discussed publicly. The Rams are all-in on the Alabama prospect, which is fine.
Having to explain the pick continiously is the issue.
McVay went on "Mad Dog Radio" to discuss Simpson again, and he was asked about the dicussion on drafting USC's Makai Lemon instead.
"I’m looking at it as five skilled, five eligibles that we have at every opportunity, whatever personnel grouping we’re in. And Makai was a big part of the conversation and discussion, but ultimately with the opportunity to be able to acquire a guy that we do think projects as a possible started down the line weighed into our thought process, and that was what landed us on Ty," McVay said.
Lemon will also be a sticking point for the Rams, as many viewed drafting him as the Rams pointing to be in "win now" mode. However, McVay explained it as everyone else understands: one player is no guarantee of a Super Bowl berth or victory.
Still, there comes a time when having to overexplain a draft pick needs to stop. McVay is great in his explanations, and as head coach, that is his job. However, it's time to stop breaking down the Simpson pick and let it be what it is.