WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. – Ty Simpson feels like a freshman in college all over again.
Except this would be like sitting down to take a 400-level or graduate-level class the first day of the first semester, instead of a 100-level.
It's a lot, especially for a rookie quarterback to grasp.
"I feel like I'm a freshman again, right? Drinking from a fire hydrant," Simpson said earlier this week. "You're expected a lot. The quarterback runs the show here, just how I like it, but it's just making sure that you're disciplined and you're detail-oriented."
Fortunately for Simpson, he has plenty of supportive teachers and classmates – as in, coaches and teammates – to help him with those details as he gets acclimated to the NFL.
"What a great group of guys, first and foremost," Simpson said. "Starts from the staff, (head coach) Sean (McVay), Rags (associate coordinator/QBs coach Dave Ragone), (offensive coordinator) Nate (Scheelhaase), (defensive coordinator) coach (Chris) Shula all those guys, they're amazing. And then the vets, the captains, Matthew (Stafford), Q-Lake, Kobe Turner, newcomers like Myles (Garrett) and Trent (McDuffie) and all of those. It's been a great experience. I can't thank them enough for taking me in and teaching me along the way. So it's been a pleasure."
Asked how he keeps from being in awe of that situation – namely joining a quarterback room with the reigning NFL MVP – Simpson admitted it took him a couple of days to get used to, but he and Stafford have built a good connection. Stafford earlier this spring emphasized his job first and foremost is to put himself and the team in the best possible position to be successful, but that hasn't precluded him from answering any questions Simpson has. Stetson Bennett, who is entering his fourth year in the system, has likewise taken Simpson in and been a resource.
"But now we've had a good rapport and a good relationship, and it's just like another guy. And that goes back to how (Stafford) is taken us all in, and I really appreciate it, because he didn't have to do that," Simpson said. "Anything that I can ask him and I can just take in, I'm willing to. So I hope I'm not annoying him, but I really appreciate the 'big brother' kind of role that he's playing in my development."
Did those new Rams teammates tell him to relax?
"No, but I can kind of see it on their face," Simpson joked. "But no, I'm kidding. They've been awesome. I just want to make sure that I can be the best player that I can be, and I know (with) two good players in my own room, any questions I can ask them (that) is something that I'm gonna want to do."
Ragone's playing and coaching experience, especially as a member of McVay's staff since 2024, has also been beneficial to Simpson's development.
"The good thing about Rags is he played the position, played it at a high level," Simpson said. "Played at Louisville, got drafted, been with Sean for a long time, so he understands how we operate, how we see things, so he's as detailed as it comes. He pours into us. Anytime we want to meet extra, he's always there and I really appreciate how he's worked and taken the reins of making sure that I know every detail of the offense and making sure that I'm ready. Everything that he's doing to help me and Matthew what Caldwell has been awesome."
Simpson is doing his part, too, knowing extra is required with Stafford and Bennett getting the majority of the quarterback reps in OTAs. Simpson said that every morning when he walks to the team's practice facility, he has his headphones and listens to the play calls to ensure he's prepared whenever his name is called and that there is no drop-off in that scenario.
"What you pour into it is what you're going to get out of it, right?" Simpson said of learning the playbook. "So if I just look at it when I'm at work, how is that going to do anything for me? I want to make sure that it's the last thing that I think about when I go to bed, and the first thing that I wake up to."
It's a lot of information to absorb, but Simpson knows how blessed he is to be in an environment like this at the beginning of his NFL career.
"It's just really cool to see it at the highest level, see it with Matthew, see it with Sean," Simpson said. "I can't thank them enough (for) taking me and letting me see how everything works, but also got to understand, 'just go play,' right? It's so fun, I'm so blessed. God's blessed me in so many different ways to be here in Los Angeles, be here talking to you guys (media) and play for the Rams."
