Alabama
Alabama teacher worker’s compensation bill moves forward
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – Alabama teachers are one step closer to having worker’s compensation.
Senate Bill One passed the Finance and Taxation Education Committee Wednesday. It’s now heading to the full Senate for consideration.
While the worker’s comp benefit has been in the conversation for years now, the 2024 bill didn’t make it past the legislative finish line last year.
AEA’s Government Relations Manager says she hopes this is the year teachers can get the injury protection.
If a K-12 educator gets hurt on the job right now, they must file the injury with their school within 24 hours and oftentimes use sick leave and PTO. They then have to cover the expenses and bills on their own and seek reimbursement later, which sometimes isn’t even approved.
Dr. Allison King says this new benefit could help with recruitment and retention in the education sector, but more importantly, it fills a need.
“Some people don’t think of, always of, education as an industry where people get hurt a lot, but truthfully, they do,” said Dr. King. “Our folks are on the frontlines everyday. Sometimes it’s teachers dealing with student assault or breaking up fights, anything like that that they’re dealing with. Our administrators deal with those same things. Even our custodians or CMP employees deal with injuries. They have more labor intensive roles in the schools that can create injuries from time to time.”
The bill is sponsored by Senator Sam Givhan. If enacted, it would allow injured educators to continue receiving their salary for up to 90 days and it would help cover medical expenses.
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Alabama
Steelers Warned About Drafting Alabama QB
PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the hunt for a quarterback of the future.
After another year of a bridge quarterback in Aaron Rodgers, the Steeler shave another decision to make when it comes to the team’s passer.
One such option is Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson, who has seen a big jump in attention since Dante Moore opted out of this year’s draft. Simpson has been a controversial prospect, with analysts either a big fan or extremely wary. Now, Sam Monson of The 33rd Team spoke on his Check The Mic podcast about why teams would be making a big mistake by selecting Simpson.
“Not only does he only have 15 starts under his belt, but the direction of travel is downwards,” Monson said. “Everything about him screams giant red flag. But if you’re QB2 in the draft, do you just have to take that guy high? I think I would be in the category of ‘I’m letting someone else make that mistake’ type of pick.”
How This Affects The Steelers
With team’s panicking at the position, the Steelers could be one of the teams that looks at Simpson earlier than Monson believes is responsible of them.
The Steelers have been linked to Simpson multiple times as it seems that the Steelers No. 21 selection could lend itself to both Simpson being available and the Steelers being a sufficient landing spot. He presents himself as the most realistic option if the Steelers opt to take a quarterback in the draft.
Noah Strackbein of On SI posted that the Steelers may be interested in Simpson at quarterback when he declared, but made it clear that he would be a project. In that case, they would likely have to keep Rodgers around as a mentor who can develop the young quarterback.
That sort of experiment was successful with Rodgers when it came to Jordan Love, but Love was certainly a better-looking prospect than Simpson when he came out of college and entered the NFL Draft space.
Drafting Simpson could also lend itself to a quarterback competition between himself and 2025 sixth-round selection Will Howard if Rodgers is not returning to the team.
The best option as it stands looks to be keeping Rodgers around, as the Steelers know what they are getting out of a player like him due to his previous tenure with the Steelers. The prior connection between Rodgers and new head coach Mike McCarthy certainly helps his case.
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Alabama
Senate committee advances Ten Commandments display bill for Alabama schools
The Alabama Senate Education Policy Committee on Wednesday advanced a bill that would require public schools to display the Ten Commandments, reviving a measure that has failed to reach a floor vote in previous sessions.
SB99, sponsored by State Sen. Keith Kelley (R-Anniston), would require each local board of education to display the Ten Commandments and a historical context statement in each history classroom serving students in fifth through 12th grade, and in a common area of each school serving students in fifth grade or above.
The bill would not require schools to use their own funds for the displays. Instead, boards could accept donated displays or donated funds, and the State Department of Education would be required to identify and publicize free resources for compliance.
Kelley said the displays would also include excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the Alabama Constitution’s preamble, along with a disclaimer that Alabama is not establishing a religion.
“It’s not a religious document. It’s a historical founding document that builds on how our culture, how our law, and how our nation was formed through a historical standpoint,” Kelley said during the committee meeting. “There’s a lot of misconceptions out there and our rule of law is basically built on the Ten Commandments. We’ve got a history that’s undeniable that comes from these basic facts.”
Kelley first introduced the measure during the 2025 session as SB166, with State Rep. Mark Gidley (R-Hokes Bluff) carrying the House companion, HB178. Both bills cleared their respective committees and the House passed its version, but the Senate never brought the bill to a floor vote before the session ended.
The 2026 version narrows the scope from the prior bill, which applied to all K-12 schools and initially included public colleges and universities. SB99 limits the mandate to fifth through 12th grade and targets history classrooms rather than all common areas.
SB99 now heads to the full Senate for approval.
Sawyer Knowles is a capitol reporter for Yellowhammer News. You may email him at [email protected].
Alabama
Alabama Finalizing Deal to Hire Louisville Assistant as New Tight Ends Coach
Alabama is finalizing a deal to hire Louisville offensive line coach Richard Owens as its next tight ends coach, per 247 Sports’ Matt Zenitz.
Owens will take over for Bryan Ellis, who became the Crimson Tide’s quarterbacks coach earlier this offseason. Ellis is filling in for Nick Sheridan, who took the offensive coordinator job at Michigan State on Dec. 20, 2025.
Owens was Louisville’s offensive line coach from 2023 up until this deal. Owens’ alma mater is with the Cardinals, as he played tight end there from 1999-2003.
He wasn’t selected in the 2004 NFL Draft, but played for the Minnesota Vikings (2004-06), the then-St. Louis Rams (2007) and the New York Jets (2009). Owens appeared in 53 games between 2004-09 with seven starts, totaling 17 receptions for 141 yards and one touchdown.
After playing football, Owens got into coaching as a graduate assistant at Arkansas State from 2010-11. He then became UAB’s tight ends coach in 2012 before moving to the Blazers’ offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach the following season. However, he went back to the role he knows best as UAB’s tight ends coach in 2014.
Owens held that same title at South Alabama in 2015, but then became the Jaguars’ offensive line coach for the next two seasons. He returned to Louisville as the tight ends coach in 2018 and then proceeded to spend the next three years as UAB’s offensive line coach. Owens was Georgia Southern’s offensive line coach and run game coordinator and in 2022 before taking his current position with the Cardinals.
Owens will mentor the following tight ends for Alabama in 2026:
- Danny Lewis Jr., redshirt senior
- Jack Sammarco, junior
- Jay Lindsey, redshirt sophomore
- Josh Ford, redshirt sophomore- Oklahoma State transfer
- Kaleb Edwards, sophomore
- Marshall Pritchett, sophomore
- Mack Sutter, freshman
Edwards is all but certainly Alabama’s starting tight end for 2026. He’s filling the role of Josh Cuevas, who exhausted his collegiate eligibility this past season.
“He’s adjusted very efficiently,” Cuevas said of Edwards on Oct. 31. “I’m super proud of him for that. We put a lot on him and he takes it with grace. It’s just something that comes naturally to him as a football player. Just kind of getting this offense going and going out there and doing it. He’s one of those guys where, if you tell him one thing, he’ll go out and do it better.
“Just trying to see where he’s at, and him getting playing time on the field is great for him. Especially being a younger guy just catching the pace of the game and knowing what it takes to win a football game in the SEC. That experience is invaluable.”
Alabama’s 2026 Coaching Staff:
Head Coach: Kalen DeBoer
Offensive Coordinator: Ryan Grubb
Defensive Coordinator: Kane Wommack
Co-DC/Defensive Backs: Maurice Linguist
Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line: Freddie Roach
Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs: Robert Gillespie
Quarterbacks: Bryan Ellis
Wide Receivers: Derrick Nix
Offensive Line: Adrian Klemm
Tight Ends: Richard Owens
Outside Linebackers: Christian Robinson
Defensive Backs: Jason Jones
Linebackers: Chuck Morrell
Special Teams: Jay Nunez
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