Alabama Crimson Tide signal-caller Ty Simpson just dropped the mic on modern college football. The 22-year-old phenom, who’s lit up scoreboards for a 9-2 Bama squad ranked No. 7 in the CFP, turned down a “jaw-dropping” multi-million NIL package from none other than the Nebraska Cornhuskers—one that promised family foundations, blue-chip endorsements, and a red-carpet welcome to Lincoln. But Simpson? He passed. Not with a shrug, but with a soul-stirring vow that echoed through Bryant-Denny like a fourth-quarter comeback: “My heart belongs to Alabama—past, present, and forever.”
It was a quiet Tuesday night in Tuscaloosa, the kind where the Black Warrior River hums low and fans dream of Iron Bowls. Simpson, fresh off a 312-yard, 3-TD clinic in the Tide’s 38-21 rout over Mercer, huddled with his inner circle—parents, agent QB Reps, and a few trusted Tide vets. The Nebraska offer? A monster: $4.2M over two years (per sources close to the deal), headlined by a Husker collective splash, Panini extensions, and a slice of Omaha steakhouse equity. “It was the kind of bag that buys houses, cars, and zero regrets,” one insider whispered. For a redshirt junior who’s waited behind Bryce Young and Jalen Milroe, it screamed escape hatch—portal to a fresh start, maybe even the keys to Memorial Stadium.
But Simpson surprised the scouts, the suits, and the skeptics. “I had to look in the mirror,” he told On3 in an exclusive sit-down, voice steady as a two-minute drill. “Alabama isn’t just a program—it’s home. The grit from those bench years, the rings in the rafters, the family here… that’s priceless. Nebraska’s class, but my roots run crimson.” The quote? Already etched in Tide lore, blasted across X with 2.1M impressions by dawn, turning #RollTideLoyalty into a viral anthem.
THE OFFER THAT SHOOK THE SEC: FROM HUSKER HEAVEN TO BAMA BOND
Whispers of the pitch surfaced mid-October, post-Simpson’s bye-week heater (71.9% completion, 862 yards, 9 TDs through six games). Nebraska, desperate for a post-Raiola savior amid their 5-6 skid, dangled the earth-mover: Lead the charge in Lincoln, anchor a top-10 2026 class, and pocket perks like a custom NIL apparel line with local breweries and a stake in a Lincoln sports bar empire. “It was tempting—no cap,” Simpson admitted. “Financial security for the fam? Dream stuff. But I kept seeing Tuscaloosa in my head—the walks to practice, the Denny Chimes at midnight.”
For context: Simpson’s no NIL novice. His On3 valuation sits at $948K, fueled by a spree that’s pure powerhouse: Gatorade (Sept. 2025, post-Wisconsin fireworks), Hugo Boss (Aug. 2025, gameday drip king), CVS Pharmacy sunscreen (June 2025, beach bod promo), Harbin Automotive (multi-year truck swaps since ‘24), Raising Cane’s, EA Sports, Panini/Topps cards, Amazon Prime, and Yea Alabama’s Crimson Tide Outdoors collective. That’s gravy on top of his $1.2M Yea Alabama base. Yet he ghosted the Huskers’ PowerPoint—echoing his ‘24 portal dodge, when he bet on DeBoer’s air raid over easier gigs.
Nebraska AD Troy Dannen? “Respect,” he tweeted post-leak. “Ty’s a baller—glad we swung, even if it whiffed.” But in Lincoln? Crickets turned to chaos—fans memeing “Heartbreaker Simpson” while boosters recalibrate for a portal QB hunt.
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