Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson formally ended the speculation about his future in college football by declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft this week. Simpson had a disappointing end to the season in a blowout loss to the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl.
Ty Simpson Draft Buzz Grows as Steelers Explore Life After Mike Tomlin
In the past few days, Simpson has been linked to mammoth deals from the Tennessee Volunteers and Ole Miss Rebels ($4 million) and the Miami Hurricanes ($6.5 million), all of whom have a quarterback-shaped hole ahead of next season.
On Thursday, in a post on X, NFL great Chase Daniel was intrigued by the possibility of the $6.85 billion-valued Pittsburgh Steelers, who have the No. 21 pick in the draft, selecting Simpson on draft night. “I don’t hate the Steelers taking Ty Simpson in the 1st round here. Very likely,” Daniel tweeted.
The Steelers were rocked earlier in the week when longtime coach Mike Tomlin stepped down after 19 years at the helm, following a 30-6 blowout loss to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round.
The knock-on effect of Tomlin’s resignation is uncertainty about quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ future, according to President Art Rooney II, opening the door for the franchise to seek a new quarterback on draft night.
During Tuesday’s segment of “The Herd,” Fox Sports analyst Colin Cowherd urged the Steelers to make several trades to secure Simpson during the 2026 NFL Draft to kickstart the new coach’s tenure.
“A couple of years ago, when I said I’d move T.J. Watt and get more picks, that was outrageous,” Cowherd said. “T.J.’s 0-for-5 in the playoffs. How outrageous is it? If you’re Pittsburgh with all these picks, my takeaway is you give out about six of them to get Ty Simpson in the first round. Say what you want, it’s something.
“They have seven draft picks in the first four rounds. The Steelers have the ammo. Go get Ty Simpson. You don’t have to move up 25 spots. Move up 10. Any of these coaches, you’ve gotta have the quarterback right. They don’t have a quarterback. I want a quarterback.”
MORE: National Analyst Calls Out ‘Blatant’ Ty Simpson Tampering After Miami, Tennessee Push
Simpson has only had one season as a starter (15 starts) for the Crimson Tide, leading them to a spot in the SEC championship game and clinching a berth in the College Football Playoff, including a gutsy win in the first round against the Oklahoma Sooners in Norman.
The talented quarterback accounted for 3,567 passing yards, resulting in 28 touchdowns and five interceptions, while adding 93 rushing yards and two touchdowns, earning himself a PFSN College QB Impact score of 81.7.
