In a moment that reverberates through the heart of Tuscaloosa, Paul Tyson Bryant III, the great-grandson of the legendary University of Alabama football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, has officially accepted a football scholarship to play for the Alabama Crimson Tide. This announcement, made in April 2018, marks a significant chapter in the storied legacy of the Bryant family and the Alabama football program, as Tyson becomes the first direct descendant of Bear Bryant to play major college football for the Crimson Tide.
Paul Tyson, a 6-foot-5, 228-pound pro-style quarterback from Hewitt-Trussville High School in Trussville, Alabama, was a highly sought-after recruit in the class of 2019. Rated as a four-star prospect by 247Sports, Tyson was ranked as the No. 12 pro-style quarterback and the No. 12 overall player in Alabama. His high school career was nothing short of impressive, with a 19-5 record as a starter, throwing for over 6,500 yards and 69 touchdowns with only 13 interceptions in 24 games. His 68.2% completion percentage ranks second all-time in Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) history at the 7A level, earning him a spot as a 2018 Elite 11 finalist and a first-team Class 7A All-State selection by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.
The decision to join Alabama was not solely driven by family ties, though the weight of his great-grandfather’s legacy loomed large. Bear Bryant, who coached Alabama from 1958 to 1982, is widely regarded as one of the greatest college football coaches of all time, amassing six national championships and 13 Southeastern Conference (SEC) titles. His influence is immortalized in Tuscaloosa through the Paul W. Bryant Museum, Paul W. Bryant Hall, and Bryant-Denny Stadium. For Tyson, the connection to Alabama was personal—his father, Marc Tyson, took him to games at Bryant-Denny Stadium from the age of four, where he heard his great-grandfather’s voice played over the speakers before kickoff. “It’s a family thing, but I definitely tried to look past that and just realize that I’m going to be here for four years and not let that decide where I go to college,” Tyson said in an interview with ESPN. “I let the fan out of me, basically. I visited all different places and stayed open and just wanted to go where home is, and that’s Alabama.”
Despite interest from other powerhouse programs like Notre Dame, LSU, Michigan, and Kentucky—where Bear Bryant also coached—Tyson’s heart remained with Alabama. His commitment came after a pivotal moment during a visit to Alabama’s bowl practices for the 2017 College Football Playoff semifinal against Clemson. Coach Nick Saban, who shares Bear Bryant’s record for the most national championships, personally offered Tyson the scholarship. “Coach Saban said regardless of my lineage, he is focusing on me as a player and nothing else,” Tyson told ESPN. This assurance underscored Alabama’s commitment to evaluating Tyson on his merits as a quarterback, not just his famous surname.
Tyson’s journey to Alabama was not without competition. His high school teammate, Pierce Quick, also signed with Alabama, and the 2019 recruiting class included another talented quarterback, Taulia Tagovailoa, brother of Alabama star Tua Tagovailoa. Tyson embraced the challenge, noting, “When it comes to the football field, we are going to compete.” This competitive spirit mirrors the ethos of Bear Bryant’s era, where internal rivalry often elevated the team’s performance, as seen with quarterbacks like Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa.
Enrolling early in January 2019, Tyson moved into Bryant Hall, a dormitory named after his great-grandfather, where Bear himself once worked late into the night. Tyson’s high school coach, Josh Floyd, a protégé of Auburn’s Gus Malzahn, praised his work ethic and potential, noting that Tyson’s development as a quarterback was grounded in skill, not just heritage. “It’s definitely been something that’s crazy,” Tyson said of his lineage. “Some people think I’m automatically going to Alabama. Just to have that name under me; it’s an honor.”
As Tyson took his first steps on campus, Alabama fans celebrated the continuation of the Bryant legacy. While he redshirted his freshman year and served as a backup in 2021, completing 10-of-16 passes for 150 yards, Tyson’s presence was a bridge between Alabama’s storied past and its present dominance under Saban. Later, Tyson transferred to Arizona State and then Clemson, where he transitioned to a coaching role in 2025, but his initial commitment to Alabama remains a landmark moment. For a program built on tradition, Tyson’s decision to carry the Bryant name back to Tuscaloosa was a homecoming that resonated deeply with Crimson Tide faithful.
