Miami and Ole Miss reportedly offered Alabama QB Ty Simpson over $6 million to transfer instead of declare for NFL Draft
Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson disclosed that he turned down monumental Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) offers from multiple top programs, opting to enter the 2026 NFL Draft instead of pursuing a final collegiate season elsewhere.
In an interview with On3 published Tuesday, Simpson detailed how schools including Ole Miss, LSU, Miami, and Tennessee aggressively pursued him following Alabama’s College Football Playoff elimination. The financial proposals escalated rapidly, with Miami reportedly topping out at a staggering $6.5 million offer after initially discussing figures around $4 million. Ole Miss and Tennessee also presented packages in the $4–5 million range.
“Miami was kind of like, ‘All right, we’re moving on,’ and then they lost out on Sam Leavitt and came back with that big number,” Simpson said. “And then Ole Miss called again and said they could match it.”
These offers far exceed the known NIL deal for a transfer quarterback this offseason—Brendan Sorsby’s $5 million agreement with Texas Tech—and highlight the intense financial arms race for elite QB talent.
Despite the life-changing sums, Simpson remained committed to his NFL declaration, citing loyalty to Alabama and the legacy he built in Tuscaloosa. “I would have lost everything that I built at Alabama,” he explained. “Everybody would just remember me as the guy who took all this money and went to Miami or Tennessee for his last year. But I was a captain. I put my hand and footprints in the cement at Denny Chimes.”
Simpson, who started for the Crimson Tide in 2025 after backing up Jalen Milroe and Bryce Young, threw for 3,567 yards and 28 touchdowns. He is projected as a potential first-round pick, especially if Oregon’s Dante Moore returns to school.
His decision leaves several QB-needy programs in uncertainty. LSU secured Sam Leavitt via the portal, but Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Miami face unresolved quarterback situations for 2026, with eligibility waivers for current starters appearing unlikely and no clear portal solutions yet in place.
Simpson’s choice underscores a growing tension in college football: the pull of immediate, multimillion-dollar NIL deals versus the pursuit of professional dreams and legacy considerations. In this case, legacy won out.
