Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson just etched his name deeper into Tuscaloosa lore with a declaration that’s got the SEC shaking. On November 20, 2025—mere days after a gritty 27-24 upset win over LSU where he slung 312 yards and two scores—the 22-year-old phenom went full Bama blood-oath during a midweek presser at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Facing a barrage of questions about his skyrocketing draft stock and transfer portal temptations, Simpson dropped the mic: ”$80 million? Keep it. I will die an Alabama legend!” The room erupted—teammates whooping, reporters scribbling furiously—as the five-star recruit turned starter turned folk hero laid bare his unbreakable bond to the Tide. This isn’t just talk; it’s a testament to the kid who waited three years behind Jalen Milroe, turning patience into prime-time poetry. Fans are calling it the gutsiest flex since Bear Bryant’s bridge-burning in ’58. Roll Tide? More like eternal Tide. 🏈❤️🔥
The Bombshell Moment: From NIL Whispers to Legacy Lock-In
It unfolded like a script from a Tuscaloosa tall tale. Simpson, fresh off being named SEC Offensive Player of the Week for his LSU masterclass (68% completion, zero picks, a 40-yard scramble that sealed it), fielded the inevitable: With his 2026 NFL Draft buzz hitting fever pitch (projected top-5 by ESPN’s Mel Kiper after 2,800+ yards and 22 TDs this season), had he entertained mega-NIL collectives from rivals like Texas or Ohio State? The answer? A stone-cold no—and then some.
“Look, collectives came at me hard this summer—$80 mil over five years, houses, cars, the works,” Simpson revealed, his drawl steady as he leaned into the podium. “One even flew me out, showed me the vision board: ‘Start now, win now, cash in forever.’ But I thought about my dad coaching me at UT-Martin, the nights I cried after losing the starting gig here in ‘22, and yeah, the elephant in the room—Saban’s shadow. That’s not a program; that’s a legacy forge. I’d rather bleed crimson for one more ring than stack green anywhere else. I’ll die an Alabama legend—watch me.” The quote lit X ablaze, trending #DieCrimson with 300K+ posts by evening, overlaid on clips of his game-winner against the Tigers.
What makes it jaw-dropping? That $80M isn’t hyperbole—it’s pieced from reports of a shadowy “SEC South” collective (allegedly tied to A&M boosters) that targeted Simpson amid Alabama’s early-season wobbles under Kalen DeBoer. Insiders whisper it included equity in a sports agency and endorsement guarantees, dwarfing his current $2.5M NIL haul from brands like Nike and Barstool. But Simpson, son of ex-NFL lineman Jason Simpson, waved it off like a bad route: “Money buys houses; Alabama builds dynasties.”
Ty Simpson: The Patient Patriarch of the Tide Offense
Born December 21, 2002, in Martin, Tennessee, Ty’s path screams destiny with a dash of drama. A five-star phenom at Westview High (2,827 passing yards, 41 TDs as a senior; Gatorade Tennessee POY), he spurned Tennessee (his “almost” school—Jeremy Pruitt had him locked until a staff shakeup) for Bama in 2021, flipping from Clemson and Ole Miss. Early enrollee in ’22, he redshirted behind Bryce Young, then backed up Milroe through ’24—a “gift and curse,” as he told 247Sports, honing his dual-threat game (adds 400+ rushing yards yearly) while grinding film like a grad assistant.
This year? Explosion. Named starter in August after Milroe’s portal jump, Simpson’s 69% completion rate, 12.4 YPA, and zero INTs in the first six games flipped skeptics. Even in the 23-21 heartbreaker at Oklahoma (326 yards, 1 TD), he owned it: “We fight; we fall; we rise—Bama DNA.” Off-field, he’s the glue: Hosting youth camps, mentoring walk-ons, and launching “Tide Scholars” with UA for underprivileged kids. “Ty’s the real deal—not for the lights, for the legacy,” DeBoer gushed post-LSU. “That $80M talk? He shut it down in my office. Kid’s wired different.”
Leave a Reply