When redshirt junior quarterback Ty Simpson was asked Tuesday what being named the Crimson Tide’s starter felt like, he described it as “a dream come true.”
However, he didn’t forget the trials he went through in order to get to the position he’s in today and took the time to reflect on how his faith has impacted his journey at Alabama.
Simpson described his struggle with anxiety in his previous year in Tuscaloosa as he dealt with little success and play time.
“I had to sit back and pray about it,” he said. “I had to think to myself, like man I got to do something. I can’t keep going down this road of worrying and having anxiety.”
He said that after a scrimmage during his sophomore year, he came home and broke into tears after a poor performance, feeling like football was no longer fun for him. Simpson then explained that a conversation with his father surrounding his faith was a reality check for him.
“My dad asked me, ‘Man, how’s your faith? What are you doing to make sure you have trust in the Lord?’ I had to sit back and say, ‘You’re right.’ I’m more worried about how people perceive me in football than they do in how I walk in my faith.’”
Simpson explained that in order to shut out the outside noise, he needed to focus on being the best version of himself he could be.
“I sat back in my room one night, and I just prayed and gave everything I got to the Lord and just want to make sure that I understand that, hey, I’m going to be the best player, the best Ty Simpson that I can be,” he said.
He then ended his comments by emphasizing his faith, attributing his success to God.
“Football means a lot to me, don’t get me wrong,” Simpson said. “But no matter how many touchdowns I throw, no matter how many wins I have at The University of Alabama, I’m a Christian first, and I know that I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for him.”
