He would’ve potentially made more money next season by not going pro.
That’s the case for former Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who recently declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. So, how could Simpson have made more money by staying in college?
Miami, Tennessee and Ole Miss each offered Simpson between $4-6.5 million in NIL to transfer into their program, which he revealed in an interview with On3. The Hurricanes, who gave former Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck a reported $4 million base NIL salary to transfer to Miami last season, offered Simpson $6.5 million.
For context, Simpson made $800,000 after incentives at Alabama this season, per the Tuscaloosa News. Why didn’t Simpson make the move?
“In a time where kids transfer for more money at every possible turn and make it a transactional decision based on finances, Ty is a unicorn and took the road less traveled,” Peter Webb, Simpson’s agent, said in an interview with The Athletic. “What started at low-to-mid seven-figure proposals quickly looked like we could maybe even approach eight figures at the finish line.
“But Ty ultimately wanted to chase his dreams of playing in the NFL and make sure the last college jersey he ever wore had the iconic Alabama Crimson Tide logo.”
In what his first year as a full-time starting quarterback at the collegiate level, Simpson totaled 3,567 passing yards, 28 passing touchdowns, five interceptions and a 145.2 passer rating through 15 games this season, while completing 64.5% of his passes. Simpson spent four seasons at Alabama (2022-25).
Alabama finished the 2025 season at 11-4, rebounding from losing in the SEC Championship Game to Georgia (28-7) by beating Oklahoma on the road in the first round of the College Football Playoff (34-24) but later being disemboweled by Indiana in the quarterfinal round (38-3).
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