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Ty Simpson Raved About NFL Combine Meetings With Three Teams

The Alabama quarterback detailed several of his meetings at the combine.
Eva Geitheim|
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson spoke to reporters at the NFL combine on Friday.
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson spoke to reporters at the NFL combine on Friday. | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has met with a number of teams at the combine this week, including the Jets, Steelers and Cardinals.

While addressing the media on Friday, Simpson was asked if he had met with those teams and was able to confirm that he did. He spoke highly of each team, who are all expected to be in the market for a quarterback this offseason.

The draft process is still early and each of those teams could pursue other avenues to fill their quarterback spot, but here’s a look at what Simpson said about his meetings with the Jets, Steelers and Cardinals.

New York Jets

Though the Jets have practically become the laughing stock of the NFL, Simpson left his meeting with a strong impression of the team. For good measure, he even gave a “Jets!” chant while walking around the combine.

“It was great,” Simpson said of the Jets. “Just talking ball, getting to know each other. Coach [Frank] Reich is a great, great human being. Coach [Aaron] Glenn is a super juiceful guy,” Simpson said of the Jets. “Installing some stuff, getting to know each other, getting on the board is what I like. I really love the Jets, really blessed to have a meeting with them. If I have an opportunity to play in New York, they’re going to get the best Ty Simpson they can get.”

The Jets hold the No. 2 pick and the No. 16 pick in the first round of the draft this year. While Simpson is not expected to be taken in the top 10 of the draft, the Jets could take him at No. 16 or even with the first pick in the second round if Simpson falls to that point. The Jets have a number of needs across their roster, but if Simpson makes a strong impression, it might be too hard for New York to pass up the opportunity to take him.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers could end up bringing back Aaron Rodgers this offseason, but they might have another option in Simpson, who spoke highly of new head coach Mike McCarthy. Simpson said that McCarthy is “the guy” and detailed how much fun he had talking to him from his experience working with Dak Prescott and Aaron Rodgers to going over different pass concepts and situations on the field.

"We were just bouncing ideas back and forth with each other,” Simpson said. “A guy like that who has had success in the league for a long time and is well respected, any time that I get to sit in an interview and talk to him and soak up all that knowledge, it's anything I could ask for.”

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals are another team expected to be in the market for a quarterback if they part ways with Kyler Murray. Arizona holds the No. 3 pick in the draft, but unlike the Jets, do not have another pick in the first round. If they were to fall for Simpson during the draft process and pursue him, it would make sense for them to take him with the No. 34 pick, or trade back into the first round like the Giants did last April for Jaxson Dart.

“I met with the Cardinals. It was my first interview, and just [a] super great organization,” Simpson said. “Mr. Monti [Ossenfort] is a great guy, Coach [Mike] LaFleur is a super ball guy, Coach [Nathaniel] Hackett. All those guys, they love football, they're a quarterback driven organization, because they're very familiar with the quarterback position. I would love to be a Cardinal. I think that they're a great organization. They’ve got a young team and I’d be super blessed to play for them.”

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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.

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