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Alabama QB Ty Simpson Makes NFL Draft Decision After Rose Bowl Loss
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- Alabama QB Ty Simpson Makes NFL Draft Decision After Rose Bowl Loss
The No. 9 seed Alabama Crimson Tide saw their College Football Playoff run end with a lopsided 38-3 loss in the Rose Bowl to the No. 1 seed Indiana Hoosiers on New Year's Day.
Alabama began the College Football Playoff with a comeback win over the No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners in Norman, 34-24, after the Crimson Tide got in the field despite an ugly loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in the SEC title game.
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Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson won the starting job over Keelon Russell and Austin Mack, and Simpson ended the year with 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns while throwing just five interceptions.
After the Rose Bowl loss, questions swirled about whether Simpson would enter the 2026 NFL Draft, and that decision came on Wednesday, via Pete Thamel of ESPN.
"Sources: Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson is turning pro. He just informed the Alabama coaches of his decision," Thamel posted on X.
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Simpson spent his entire college career at Alabama, sitting behind Bryce Young and Jalen Milroe before finally getting his chance in 2025.
In the Rose Bowl, he went just 12-of-16 passing for 67 yards with no scores before leaving the game with an injury in the second half, but it was a flat effort all around for Alabama.
Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) runs the ball in the second half against the Oklahoma Sooners in the CFP.© Nelson Chenault-Imagn Images
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has Simpson ranked as the third-best quarterback in the class behind the Oregon Ducks ' Dante Moore and the Indiana Hoosiers' Fernando Mendoza , although it remains to be seen if Moore will declare for the draft after his team's CFP run ends.
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So, just a week after the Rose Bowl loss, Simpson is officially going pro after one year as the Crimson Tide starter.
Related: Former 5-Star College Football QB Makes Unexpected Transfer Portal Decision
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
