Quarterback Ty Simpson may be headed to the NFL, but it's not because he didn't have suitors in college football.
Simpson, who started for Alabama during the 2025 season, declared for the 2026 NFL Draft on Jan. 7.
A source close to Simpson told The Tuscaloosa News on Jan. 11 that Miami offered him $6.5 million to play for the Hurricanes in 2026. That would have made him the highest-paid player in college football.
Tennessee and Ole Miss each offered Simpson $4 million, the newspaper reported through the same source.
Simpson is a Tennessee native from Martin, where he won a TSSAA state championship his senior season at Westview in West Tennessee.
Simpson's base salary at Alabama was $400,000, the newspaper reported. That doubled to $800,000 with incentives.
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Simpson has not entered the NCAA transfer portal and has not yet signed his NFL paperwork. However, he plans to play in the Senior Bowl later this month in Mobile, Alabama, according to the newspaper.
Simpson played all four seasons for the Crimson Tide, but did not start until 2025, when he threw for 3,567 yards and had 28 touchdowns and five interceptions. He helped Alabama reach the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, where it lost to Indiana in the Rose Bowl.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee football offered Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson $4 million
