First impressions are extremely important in the NFL, especially for first-round picks and even more so for quarterbacks.
While Ty Simpson was far from setting the world ablaze on Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs, he still had a strong debut with the Los Angeles Rams. The rookie first-round pick left a positive impression that should earn him some goodwill no matter how the rest of the preseason turns out. If all goes according to plan, we won’t see much of Simpson after the next two weeks. A plus performance on a small stage would potentially allow him to enter the 2027 season as the presumed starter.
Don’t believe me? Well, ask Jared Goff how much first impressions matter.
The Rams were on HBO’s Hard Knocks during Goff’s rookie year in 2016. Infamously, Goff was unable to name which direction the sun set despite living in a coastal state for most of his life. This was his introduction to NFL fans, and he never really bucked this reputation during the remainder of his time in Los Angeles.
It also didn’t help matters much that Jeff Fisher was running a high school offensive scheme during his final season as head coach. Fisher was reluctant to start Goff in favor of Case Keenum, and then turned the keys over to the rookie after the veteran exhausted his shorter leash. The Rams’ offense was untalented and not well prepared. Goff was destined for failure, even if he was able to show some glimpses of why he was the first overall pick in the draft.
And then enter Sean McVay in 2017—the young brainiac and cutting-edge play caller that salvaged Goff’s career. Even as Goff took steps forward as a quarterback, he never seemed to get the respect he deserved from the NFL media. He was often called a “system quarterback”. Anytime the offense played well, the media was quick to credit McVay. Goff was only ever the reason why the team fell short of lofty expectations.
This was a dynamic that didn’t make sense from 2016 through 2020 and still does not make sense. Perception and labels in this context can matter more than real results. Reputations are not easily shed.
Fortunately for Simpson, his career is already off to a more positive start than Goff managed. In the grand scheme of things, the rookie’s preseason debut means very little. Perhaps the most important outcome is the fact his introduction was overwhelmingly positive.
His first game easily could have went off the rails.
Simpson mismanaged a wild snap only to not panic, secure the ball and then get rid of it. He had another late-down scramble that looked like he was on the verge of disaster, only to avoid a sack, keep the ball in play, and convert a pass.
At every moment of adversity, Simpson remain poised and made the best of his situation. He looked like a gamer. He competed.
That is what most will remember about his first NFL game. Whatever happens from this point forward, Simpson has at least demonstrated that the player the Rams thought they were getting at thirteenth overall is somewhere within him.
How long will a strong first impression last? Well, it may be a while before we find out the answer to that question.