What Teams has Ty Simpson Met with at the NFL Combine?

Former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson has been a hot name so far during the NFL draft process, with many scouts concluding that Simpson is the consensus No. 2 quarterback in this year's draft class. The Crimson Tide's 2025 signal caller has drawn headlines at the 2026 NFL scouting combine, where he is set to throw and participate in on-field workouts on Saturday. With Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza almost guaranteed to be the No. 1 pick to the Las Vegas Raiders, the next quarterback off the board could be Simpson, but where could he go?

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Simpson told reporters on Friday during media availability that he has met with four teams specifically: The Pittsburgh Steelers, the Arizona Cardinals, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the New York Jets. Simpson had a glowing review of his meeting with the Jets.

"It was great, just talking ball, getting to know each other," Simpson said. "Coach [Frank] Reich is a great, great human being, Coach [Aaron] Glenn is a super juiceful guy. Installing some stuff, getting to know each other, and just getting on the board is what I like. I really love the Jets, really blessed to be able to have a meeting with them, and if I have an opportunity to play in New York - like I said, they're gonna get the best Ty Simpson they can get."

The Jets hold two first-round picks in the 2026 draft: their own at pick No. 2 and the Indianapolis Colts' pick at No. 16. The Jets need a quarterback after starting three different players at the position last season, with former Ohio State Buckeye Justin Fields starting nine games and throwing for just 1,259 yards and seven touchdowns, but was placed on injured reserve after suffering a knee injury. The Jets also saw Tyrod Taylor and Brady Cook take snaps under center, with neither throwing for 800 yards despite Taylor playing in six games and Cook playing in five.

Frank Reich was hired as the Jets' offensive coordinator during the most recent coaching cycle and has experience with another former Alabama quarterback, now starting in the NFL: Bryce Young. Reich was the head coach of the Carolina Panthers when the Panthers drafted the former Heisman Trophy winner with the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL draft. The Panthers went 2-15 in 2023, and Reich was fired before the end of the season.

Simpson also said he met with the Arizona Cardinals, who are in search of a quarterback after it appears Kyler Murray's time in Arizona is dwindling. The former Oklahoma Sooner Heisman winner saw action in just five games this season, throwing for 962 yards and six touchdowns before a ligament tear in his foot ended his season. The Cardinals and Murray have not spoken since the end of the season, according to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss. According to Weinfuss's report, if Murray is on the Cardinals' roster by the third day of the 2026 league year (which starts on March 11), he is due a $19.5 million roster bonus in 2027. The Cardinals fired head coach Jonathan Gannon during the season and hired Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who is the brother of Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur.

"Yeah, I met with the Cardinals, it was my first interview, and just super great organization," Simpson said about meeting with the Cardinals, via Donnie Druin on X. "Mr. Monti is a great guy, Coach LaFleur is a super ball guy, Coach Hackett. All those guys, they love football, they're a quarterback-driven organization, because they're very familiar with the quarterback position. And I would love to be a Cardinal. I think that they're a great organization.”

Another team Simpson said he met with was the Pittsburgh Steelers, who may have the most interesting quarterback dilemma of the three. The Steelers fired head coach Mike Tomlin after the Steelers underperformed again in 2025, losing in the AFC Wildcard to the Houston Texans. The Steelers hired Super Bowl-winning head coach Mike McCarthy to replace Tomlin, which opened the door for a compelling storyline surrounding one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game: Aaron Rodgers.

Rodgers started all 18 games for the Steelers in 2025, throwing for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns. In the Steelers' 30-6 loss to the Texans, Rodgers threw for 146 yards and an interception. Rodgers has contemplated retirement every offseason since 2020, and he only signed a one-year deal with the Steelers, so Rodgers is currently a free agent. McCarthy won his lone Super Bowl with Rodgers in 2010 with the Green Bay Packers, and if Rodgers and McCarthy still have a strong relationship from their days in Green Bay, it might be enough to entice the future Hall-of-Fame quarterback into one more season.

"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 just soak up all that knowledge, it's anything I could ask for," Simpson said on meeting with the Steelers, via Alan Saunders on X.

Simpson also said he met with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who may not be in the quarterback sweepstakes right now, but could be in the near future as former Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield, who turns 31 this year, is in the final year of a three-year contract he signed with Tampa Bay.

"It was a formal meeting. Just a super great organization. Went in there, had some fun, was myself, and got to know those guys pretty good," Simpson said. "That's the biggest thing about these meetings: be yourself, have some fun, talk some ball. Everything else will fall into God's plan."

Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.