The Moment Ty Simpson Surrendered Everything

Down in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, football is synonymous with excellence. The Crimson Tide boasts 16 national championships, and this year they’re hoping to add number yet another.

The Tide is led by future NFL first rounder, Ty Simpson. Before his appearance on the national stage, Ty wasn’t sure just how good he could be.

“I knew I had potential, right? But like nothing told me this was going to work out the way that you saw it,” says Simpson.  “I just kind of always put my head down and was just like, I got to find a way to get better.”

Prior to his sophomore season in 2024, Ty was the backup and became discouraged with his performance. His identity and hopes were in his success which led to confusion and despair.

“It just got no fun honestly. I just dreaded coming into the building every day like going to practice, going to meetings because it wasn’t very fun to me. I kind of saw myself as a certain type of figure and that was just football. Everybody who knew me was just like, ‘Ty Simpson the quarterback, Ty Simpson the Alabama football player, Ty Simpson the guy who went to Alabama.’ And after a scrimmage one day, it didn’t really go my way, and I just came home in my little apartment. My dad was there and I just kind of teared up and got emotional just because everything that I’ve known just felt like it was all crumbling and not what I needed to do.”

Ty’s dad, Jason is the head coach of the UT-Martin Skyhawks. That afternoon he gave his son some advice that changed everything.

“He just basically just asked me how was my faith,’ says Simpson. ‘Are you in the Word? Are you getting up and going to church? Are you constantly praying and asking for guidance?’ And it really kind of opened my eyes because I was like, ‘No, I’m not.’ I was more focused on how people saw me as a football player and how people perceived me as an athlete than how people saw me as a Christian and a person and living a type of way that I knew was wrong, but it was what I wanted to do.”

Later that night Ty rededicated his life to Jesus.

I just kind of sat back and I just kind of prayed and just a big sigh of relief was off my shoulders, no anxiety, it just felt free honestly.

Will Dawson: So that enabled you then to go out and play free after that? Did things change for you?

“Yeah, it just gave me a different perspective of like why would I be upset of how people looked at me or how I played when knowing there is such a bigger purpose. There is a reason why I’m playing this game. It’s not because I’m good or whatever. There’s a reason why it’s working out the way it’s working out and it’s not up to me.”

Will Dawson: What is that reason?

“To use my platform to give the glory to the Lord. I want people to see me more as a Christian than as a football player.”

Although football is important to both men, Jason encourages his son in his relationship with Jesus.

“My dad always sends me scriptures, literally every morning,” he says. “I could show you my phone it’s probably like six pictures every morning, just like scripture and motivational context. The world that he works in in and lives in is very similar to mine and how we can get lost in all the noise and all the distractions instead of keeping the main thing the main thing.”

Ty is at the top of his game as Alabama heads to the playoffs. And his focus now is on honoring God, win or lose.

“Every morning I get up and I read my devotional then I pray before I go into the building and I pray before I go to sleep at night. You know I’m kind of anxiety free just knowing that I can say a little prayer and he’s with me no matter what.   My favorite verse is Micah 5:5 just because all of the anxiety and everything you go through on a day-to-day basis at a high intensity thing like we have here.”

“You can’t have a bad day knowing that Jesus Christ died for you,” Simpson says. My dad tells me that all the time. The sun is still going to come up. Just think about all the people in the world who are hurt, sick, on their death bed. You get to play football and you have an opportunity to write your own story. That’s kind of how I look at it. Adversity brings opportunity and this is a great opportunity for me to play for a bigger cause.”