Ty Simpson doesn’t care about anyone’s NFL draft opinions, but he’ll gladly take suggestions for where to live in Los Angeles.
While plenty was made about the Rams using the No. 13 pick in last month’s draft on a quarterback despite already having a reigning MVP at the position, Simpson has spent his time blocking out the outside noise to watch and learn from his new teammates, including Matthew Stafford.
Instead of listening to the critics when he’s away from the team’s facility, Simpson has been busy trying to get acclimated to the Southern California lifestyle, a constant reminder that he’s no longer at Alabama or his hometown of Martin, Tenn.
“I still believe that I’m a redneck in L.A.,” Simpson told Sports Illustrated during a sitdown interview last week during his time at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere.
Perhaps after finding a new home and purchasing a vehicle, Simpson will turn on the TV to see what all the fuss is about him being teammates with Stafford, who has been very helpful, according to the rookie quarterback. Then again, that could take a while because Simpson has no clue where to start looking for a home and he’s not in a hurry to learn about the chaotic freeways in Los Angeles. He’ll take any advice on how to maneuver around a city that can be overwhelming to those new to the area.
Maybe next year, he’ll entertain those draft opinions. For now, he’s more interested in sharing what he’s learned from Stafford, Davante Adams, Puka Nacua and coach Sean McVay.
Below is the full Q&A from the sitdown with Simpson.
More: Fernando Mendoza Q&A
Sports Illustrated:Ty, I’m going to give you a quote that you said at your introductory news conference with the Rams. You said, “I guess I’m like a redneck in Los Angeles.” Why did you say that and do you still feel a little out of place out here?
Ty Simpson: Well, I said that because I’m a kid from rural west Tennnesee, in Martin, who grew up on just hunting and fishing, and wearing boots and jeans, and then coming to L.A., having a different lifestyle. Also, I went to Alabama, which is about as redneck as it gets, and then coming to L.A. was like a culture shock. I feel like I’m fitting in pretty good, but I still believe that I’m a redneck in L.A.
SI:O.K., that probably won’t change, but be who you are. But so far, do you feel like you’re getting used to the culture, the atmosphere and all the things that L.A. has to offer?
TS: Yeah, I totally feel like I am. I still need to understand and get a grip of the landscape and know where places to eat are and know where to hang out, know where to shop, but I feel like I have a good understanding of how to do things. I have a great team to ask.
SI:Last year, there was a viral video of Jaxson Dart not knowing how to use the toll roads in New York and New Jersey. Have you had any similar experiences while driving around in L.A.?
TS: No. I actually don’t have a car, so I walk and Uber everywhere, but I haven’t had a chance to go through the freeway and things like that yet. But I’m kind of looking forward to it because I’ve heard it’s unreal.
SI:We were talking off camera, that you were aiming to get the free Xbox here at the NFLPA Rookie Premiere if you hit a certain number of signatures on your rookie cards, but you also said that you’re a country guy. It seems you’re also a little bit of an indoor guy. You’re a gamer too, right?
TS: I wouldn’t say that I’m a religious or advocate of gaming, but whenever I want to get my mind off things, I’ll play a game or two.
SI:Is there a game you like to play?
TS: I’m big on first-person shooter games, so Fortnite, Call of Duty, Battlefield, things like that to where you gotta worry about your movement and be good in that nature.
SI: How many more items do you need to sign to win the Xbox?
TS: I think I’m more than halfway done [it was in the thousands], so I gotta go sign a bunch of stickers and I’ll be walking away with it.
SI:Is your hand cramping from that?
TS: I feel like I’m going to get carpal tunnel from how much I’m signing.
SI:So far, what have you taken away from participating in everything the NFLPA Rookie Premiere has to offer?
TS: I think it gave us, especially me, a better understanding of what the NFLPA is and how it can benefit and help you. Many people talk about the NFLPA in a bad way, but for players, it’s a different perspective because they’re just here for you, so that really helped me understand how much the NFLPA can help me, and also the branding part, what these brands and what these companies can do to help you make money off the field. Full disclosure, I really didn’t want to come, but then after I came and got to experience everything, I feel like it’s a really, really cool experience.
SI: What was the hesitation for coming over?
TS: It was more about getting pulled away from my team and not understanding everything and not being there learning, trying to get the hang of things. And then to come out here to where I’m just doing commercials and stuff, but then understanding it’s bigger than that, so that was cool.
SI:I’m sure Sean McVay got over you not being there for a couple of days at practice to experience the NFLPA Rookie Premiere. How’s the offseason camp gone for you so far?
TS: It’s great. Just sitting there in the room with Matthew [Stafford], it’s super, super fun. It’s awesome. He’s just an A-plus guy, A-plus player. I think the tape shows that, and then being there with Sean [McVay] and all my teammates, it’s really, really cool. Not only do I fully believe that we have the best team, but I fully believe that we have the best people as well. It’s not just about football. It’s about how people treat you and there hasn’t been a guy in that locker room who I haven’t had a good experience with. I’m really looking forward to getting to know them better and building good relationships and having fun experiences.
SI: As a rookie, what do you look out for when you’re practicing or watching film with players like Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua and Davante Adams?
TS: Really, just how they go about things. I think it’s really, really cool to, one, be in the room with Matthew, who has done it at a high level for so long, and then see it from a wide receiver standpoint with Davante and Puka. And Davante especially, because of him being similar to Matthew, but I think both of those guys are two guys who are one of the greatest at their positions. The fact that I can watch both of them at the same time on my team, it’s a big advantage for me.
SI:Did you know any of the players on the Rams before you got there?
TS: I did not. I knew a bunch of people by name and knew what they were about. But personally, I did not know anybody.
SI:Seeing all the hoopla about the Rams taking a quarterback in the first round of the draft, were you taken back by that? How did you approach that?
TS: I really didn’t care, to be honest with you. Everybody can have an opinion, but it’s my job to take care of my business. So, the Rams took me with the 13th overall pick, so now it’s my job to be the best player I can be, the best Ty I can be, and go out there and prove them right. I don’t really listen to all that. My job is to make sure to do whatever my team needs me to do to win and that’s what I’m going to do.
SI:Ty, have you had your family out here to visit you in L.A.?
TS: I have not. I gotta find a house and get settled. I gotta find out where it should be and then once that happens, everybody is welcomed. We’ll have a big cookout at the house.
SI: Do you have an idea on where you want to set up?
TS: No. So, if anybody has some opinions or suggestions, please let me know because I’m not familiar with the geography of L.A. and where I should live.
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GILBERTO MANZANO
Gilberto Manzano is a staff writer covering the NFL for Sports Illustrated. After starting off as a breaking news writer at NFL.com in 2014, he worked as the Raiders beat reporter for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and covered the Chargers and Rams for the Orange County Register and Los Angeles Daily News. During his time as a combat sports reporter, he was awarded best sports spot story of 2018 by the Nevada Press Association for his coverage of the Conor McGregor-Khabib Nurmagomedov post-fight brawl. Manzano, a first-generation Mexican-American with parents from Nayarit, Mexico, is the cohost of Compas on the Beat, a sports and culture show featuring Mexican-American journalists. He has been a member of the Pro Football Writers of America since 2017.
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