Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay is clearly over trying to explain his muted response after the team picked quarterback Ty Simpson at No. 13 overall.
McVay was interviewed by ESPN on Saturday and was asked to explain why he seemed so ornery after the team decided to draft a developmental quarterback so high. The Rams coach said there were “some other things I was grumpy about,” but admitted that his reaction was in part out of respect for Matthew Stafford.
“I would have been stoic by nature anyway just based on the respect for Matthew,” McVay said. It’s a unique situation. You get a chance to be able to take a player that you like at a really important position, but you don’t want it to be minimized or misunderstood in terms of what this means in terms of our investment and our commitment to Matthew for as long as he wants to continue to play. You’re kind of teetering that line and clearly I came off a little grumpier than normal.”
Sean McVay tells Kyle Brandt and Peter Schrager (together again!) that his reaction to picking Ty Simpson was, in part, because he didn't want to send the wrong signal to Matthew Stafford. pic.twitter.com/zDZuQg8T44
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 25, 2026
Even during the interview, McVay’s grumpiness returned, as he sarcastically said the Simpson pick “didn’t get a lot of attention” and that he was “glad that we’re talking about it.”
Sean McVay is so annoyed by the Ty Simpson pick still:
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) April 25, 2026
“It didn’t get a lot of attention, glad that we’re talking about it”
He’s so pissed 😭😭 pic.twitter.com/VBCMtofUNN
McVay also cited “normal life” reasons for his mood when addressing the situation on Friday. Still, the initial reaction will linger for many who are convinced that the Rams coach was not happy with the selection.
Reports have suggested that McVay and GM Les Snead were totally aligned on the pick. You just would not know it from McVay’s public demeanor.
