Alabama Quarterback Austin Mack Makes Decision Regarding 2026 Season

The Crimson Tide redshirt sophomore has re-signed with Alabama and will compete for the starting quarterback spot this offseason.

Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Austin Mack (10) throws a pass against the Indiana Hoosiers in the second half of the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Alabama quarterback Austin Mack will remain with the Crimson Tide for the 2026, per Yea Alabama, the program's NIL collective.

"BREAKING: QB Austin Mack will be returning to Alabama for the 2026 season," Yea Alabama posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Friday.

"Sources: Alabama quarterback Austin Mack has agreed to a deal to return to the Crimson Tide this season. He was Alabama’s back-up quarterback this season and came in for Ty Simpson in the Rose Bowl, leading the lone scoring drive.

"Mack is a former Kalen DeBoer commit to Washington who followed him to Alabama. He threw for 228 yards and 2 TDs this year. He’s a redshirt sophomore with two years remaining."

Mack was Ty Simpson's primary backup during the season, and after the starter "cracked" his rib late in the first half of the Rose Bowl loss to Indiana, the QB2 subbed in and completed 11 of 16 pass attempts for 103 yards and led the Tide to its first and only points of the day via a field goal by Conor Talty.

"Every game I kind of just tell myself, 'Be Ready,' and I've never been surprised," Mack said after the game. "Anything could happen and I knew I was one play away from getting in the game. So when they told me I was getting in the game, it was just like, 'Let's go and let's just play ball.'

"It was the moment, I was ready for. It was something I had been preparing for the whole season. Something I put a lot of work in to get to. Obviously, it's a big stage — the Rose Bowl against the No. 1 team — but I was ready for it."

This news comes two days after Simpson declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. The redshirt junior led the SEC in completions (305) and pass attempts (473) in 15 games this season, recording a completion percentage of 64.5. The Crimson Tide co-captain threw for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns and five interceptions, while also rushing for 93 yards and two scores on 90 carries.

Freshman Keelon Russell, this season's third-string quarterback for the Crimson Tide, is also staying for next year. In other words, there will be a quarterback competition for the No. 1 spot on the depth chart throughout the offseason.

"I've learned a ton [from Simpson]," Mack said before the Rose Bowl. "Whether it was last year, or even just coming into the competition this year, me and him have always been good friends. It's honestly one of the best QB rooms I've been in in my entire career. But I've learned a ton.

"Whether it's really what it takes week in and week out to get through a season like this, I mean we've been through the gauntlet. There's not many teams in the country that have played the schedule that we have. So kind of just seeing what it takes and kind of just seeing the kind of person he really is.

"He's a great leader, a great quarterback, great friend and having that mindset has been great for me to see."

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