Among the headlines that dominated the 2026 NFL Draft, the Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay found himself trending for how he reacted to the team drafting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson in Round 1. The Rams are in win-now mode, raising a lot of questions about why they’d spend a first-round pick on a potential future quarterback instead of bolstering other needy positions.
Sean McVay Acted As Well As ‘Michael B. Jordan,’ Says Chris Simms
As per the usual proceedings, McVay called Simpson right after they selected him on Day 1 of the draft. While it was a cordial exchange, it didn’t take much for fans online to question whether the head coach was truly excited about the quarterback joining the fold.
However, there was reportedly a very interesting dynamic at play on draft night, and former NFL quarterback Chris Simms weighed in on it on “Pro Football Talk” with Mike Florio.
“Give that man an Oscar,” Simms said. “Maybe you gave them the idea of playing ‘good cop, bad cop.’ I stand corrected. Your original theory and thought, I do believe, is correct. Sean McVay is a better actor than I realized. He and Michael B. Jordan must be friends in acting class.”
McVay, according to Simms, was, in fact, very satisfied with them selecting Simpson to back up Matthew Stafford. He allegedly didn’t want to create the wrong impression with Stafford.
“Some people in the NFL heard our conversation on that and basically corrected me,” Simms added. “McVay is the one heavily involved in the picks, and they went out there and made sure that Matthew Stafford still felt the love and knew that it was his team. And they were gonna portray it as ‘good cop, bad cop’ kind of thing — Les Snead made it happen, McVay kinda fought against it behind the scenes.”
The power dynamic in a team’s quarterback room often plays a big role in locker room synergy. When a team selects one in the first round of the draft, it tends to signal to quarterbacks on the roster that there’s a new man to contend for the starting job.
As such, McVay reportedly didn’t want to create the impression that Simpson is here to steal Stafford’s job.
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
“I’m led to believe by very strong sources that that was what was going on, and Sean McVay does have a future in Hollywood,” Simms said.
After falling agonizingly short of the Super Bowl last season despite having the league’s best offense, according to PFSN’s Offense Impact Metric, the Rams have an axe to grind with their loaded roster. With shrewd offseason moves and a quarterback for the future, LA will be worth watching in 2026.
