Ty Simpson Just Announced Himself: Rams Rookie Rallies L.A. Past Chiefs in Preseason Stunner

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Forget the preseason snooze-fest. The Rams and Chiefs served up a fourth-quarter thriller with a rookie at the center of it all.

Ty Simpson, the Rams' first-round pick out of Alabama, didn't just make his NFL debut on Saturday — he made a statement. Simpson went 21-of-25 for 190 yards and fired two touchdown passes to Dean Connors in the fourth quarter, rallying Los Angeles past Kansas City 20-12 in a preseason opener that actually had some juice.

THE MAIN EVENT? SIMPSON.

While Patrick Mahomes was doing literally nothing but the coin toss (he's still on the comeback trail from knee surgery), Simpson was busy cooking. The rookie carved up the Chiefs' depth chart, showing off the poise and arm talent that made him a first-round pick. His two scoring strikes to Connors turned a 12-6 deficit into a comeback win that had Rams fans buzzing.

Before Simpson took over, Stetson Bennett handled the first quarter, going 4-of-6 for 38 yards. Serviceable. Then Simpson turned the lights on.

FIELDS SHOWS OUT, NUSSMEIER GRINDS

On the Chiefs' side, Justin Fields — the veteran backup signed to hold down the fort while Mahomes heals — was perfect in his one quarter of work, completing all four pass attempts. He watched the rest from the sideline as seventh-round rookie Garrett Nussmeier took the bulk of the snaps, finishing 13-of-19 for 98 yards. Not bad, but not enough.

JONES PLAYS ONE SNAP. YES, ONE.

Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo heard Chris Jones' preseason complaints loud and clear. Jones was on the field for exactly one snap — the first — before heading to the sideline. Message received? Probably not, but it's preseason.

Meanwhile, Rams coach Sean McVay didn't even pretend to care about starters. His first defensive unit was all third-teamers fighting for a roster spot on a Super Bowl contender. Respect the hustle.

REID GOT HIS CHALLENGE WIN

Andy Reid took this one seriously enough to challenge a call — and won. Tight end Jared Wiley's toe-tapping grab along the Rams sideline was ruled a catch after review. Coach stays sharp, even in August.

ARROWHEAD IS BACK, FAM

Arrowhead Stadium is back to its full configuration after the World Cup took over and removed some seats last summer. And it's officially called Arrowhead Stadium again, no more GEHA Field. Feels right.

Injury note: Rams third-round tackle Keagen Trost, a Missouri product, left in the first quarter with a hamstring injury. Worth monitoring.

UP NEXT

The Rams host New Orleans next Saturday. The Chiefs head to Tampa Bay for another preseason battle.

Preseason or not, Ty Simpson just made this Rams QB competition a whole lot more interesting.