Alabama Quarterback Ty Simpson Reveals Injury He Suffered During Rose Bowl

PASADENA, Calif. - The Alabama Crimson Tide fell to the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl, 38-3. It was the Tide's worst loss since 1998. To add insult to injury, Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson suffered an injury and left the game in the third quarter against Indiana, when Alabama was down 24-0 to the Hoosiers.

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After the game, Simpson revealed to reporters that he suffered a fractured rib during the second quarter, on the play where Indiana safety D'Angelo Ponds forced a fumble after Simpson. It was Alabama's longest drive by that point in the game at 43 yards, and it ended up being Alabama's second-longest drive of the game (65 yards was the longest). Simpson said that an X-ray at halftime confirmed his injury.

Simpson played one more drive after halftime, but it was a three-and-out that gained just three yards for the Crimson Tide. During Alabama's next drive, backup quarterback Austin Mack took over for Simpson and played the remainder of the game.

"I just, on the fumble, took a helmet to the ribs, cracked my rib," Simpson told reporters after the game. "Tried to go back in the second half, and just felt like it was the best chance for us to win it was Austin."

Simpson ended the night 12-16 for 67 yards and was the Tide's leading rusher with 17 yards on the ground. After the game, Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said about Simpson's injury:

"Ty had an injury, obviously. He really wanted to try to stay out there. We treated him there at halftime. He gave it a series, and he feels like he let down the team," said UA coach Kalen DeBoer. "But there's no way that's the case. He went out and tried to battle. That's who he is."

While Simpson was never listed with an injury on any availability report, he was much less effective during the second half of the season than he was in the first half. During Alabama's first seven games of the season, the Tide's signal caller passed for 2,931 yards, 18 touchdowns, and one interception. Over Alabama's final eight games, Simpson passed for 1,636 yards, 10 touchdowns, and four interceptions.

Simpson now faces a critical decision with the NFL draft, where, at times this season, he looked like a guaranteed first-round pick. At other times, Simpson struggled against inferior competition for the Crimson Tide. Has Simpson thought about his NFL draft future?

"Not, not at all. I'm just worried about these last few minutes with these seniors, and everybody won't be here next year."

The deadline for underclassmen to declare early for the NFL draft is January 14, per NFL operations.

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Wyatt Fulton is the Tide 100.9 DME and Brand Manager, primarily covering Alabama Crimson Tide football and men's basketball. For more Crimson Tide coverage, follow Wyatt on X (Formerly known as Twitter) at @FultonW_.