Sean McVay Reveals Draft Night Outburst Stemmed from Pre-Press Conference Incident

Chris Simms, who spent most of the past week in London, attended an Arsenal match on Saturday night alongside Rams head coach Sean McVay. Simms returned to the United States on Wednesday and discussed the matter on Thursday’s PFT Live.

During the show, Simms revealed he spoke with McVay about his visibly frustrated demeanor during a post-draft press conference. The Rams had just selected quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, an unexpected move that sparked widespread discussion.

McVay clarified to Simms that his frustration had nothing to do with the draft decision or his public remarks. Instead, it stemmed from an unrelated altercation that occurred just before the press conference.

"The reason he in the press conference was pissed off had neither to do with him acting or the pick but had to do with some sort of volatile situation that happened before they went out there," Simms explained. "There was some little argument about something. He assured me it was nothing like major, but he was a little peed off right there at that moment. That's what he told me. I don't think he'd have any problem with me sharing that."

McVay’s visible frustration during the event was later acknowledged by the coach himself. The following day, he admitted he was "grumpy" at the time.

Speculation arose that McVay’s demeanor was a calculated move to send a message to incumbent quarterback Matthew Stafford, the reigning NFL MVP. The Rams selecting a potential long-term replacement for Stafford in the first round marked the first such instance since 1967, when the Green Bay Packers drafted quarterback Don Horn after Bart Starr was named league MVP for 1966.