The NFL Draft has entered its third and final day, as rounds four through seven take place. The first two days have delivered a number of memorable moments, major trades, and surprising picks.
On Saturday during the fifth round of the NFL Draft, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay joined ESPN. Among the topics discussed, the biggest was the selection of Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
The surprise isn’t necessarily that the Rams selected Simpson. It’s that they picked him 13th overall—he was originally projected as a late first-round pick.
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Since then, footage from the Rams’ first-round press conference has surfaced showing McVay appearing disgruntled. Many speculated that, combined with reports that Simpson had not yet met McVay, the pick may not have been McVay’s choice at No. 13.
“There were other things that had nothing to do with (Ty Simpson), that’s normal life,” McVay said on ESPN. “The main thing was, I couldn’t be more excited about being able to add him, but also understanding of, how much I love Matthew Stafford, how respectful you want to always be to just the way things can be interpreted.”
McVay then explained and reiterated what the pick means for Stafford’s future with the franchise.
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“And, so, the demeanor would have been stoic by nature, because you are excited, but by no means, it is Matthew’s football team, and we are excited to add Ty.”
McVay has made this stance clear since the night the team selected Simpson. Stafford will remain the Rams’ quarterback until he decides to retire.
McVay also emphasized that he and general manager Les Snead have been in lockstep since the day he was hired. He added that Stafford is excited to welcome Simpson and help him develop while contributing to the team’s competitiveness.
The moment recorded Thursday night certainly made it look like there was a disagreement over the pick. However, McVay appears to have put an end to that speculation. He even joked during the post-draft presser about what the media might think he is upset about next.
The pick has been polarizing, but the vision appears clear: secure the future while Stafford keeps the team’s championship window open. Perhaps Simpson will be the one to keep that window open when the time comes for him to take over at quarterback.