Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin has all the time had quite a lot of respect for defensive again Jalen Ramsey, courting again to when Ramsey was popping out of Florida State.
Although the Steelers had no shot at drafting the previous Seminoles’ star within the 2016 NFL Draft, the place Ramsey went No. 5 total, Tomlin nonetheless held him in excessive regard. Particularly after Ramsey took a Professional Day Dinner with Tomlin and then-GM Kevin Colbert.
Over time, with Ramsey taking part in for the likes of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams and Miami Dolphins, Tomlin and the Steelers have needed to cope with the nice expertise. Ramsey has been a thorn within the Steelers’ aspect over and over.
Till now.
Now, the All-Professional defensive again is a member of the Steelers, due to a surprising June 30 commerce between the Steelers and Dolphins. Pittsburgh acquired Ramsey and tight finish Jonnu Smith and despatched security Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Dolphins, together with a late-round choose swap within the 2027 NFL Draft.
The transfer was beautiful, because the Steelers moved on from their very own star defensive again whereas in flip getting older and costlier with Ramsey. However lastly, after years of coping with him as an opponent, Tomlin will get his palms on the nice defensive again.
Forward of the Steelers’ matchup with the Jaguars in 2018 in Week 11 on the street, Tomlin praised Ramsey as a novel piece.
“His abilities. He’s lengthy, he’s quick, he’s combative,” Tomlin stated of Ramsey forward of that 2018 matchup, in response to the transcript offered by the workforce. “His above-the-neck sport and really feel for the passing sport is superb. He’s bodily.
“Folks typically neglect that this man was most likely the most effective security prospect within the draft, as nicely, when he got here out, and that simply speaks to his expertise stage and the way immense it’s.”
That distinctive piece that Ramsey was forward of 2018 is what the Steelers hope he nonetheless stays at present forward of the 2025 season, a season during which the Steelers are aiming to compete for a Tremendous Bowl, and the commerce for Ramsey was a key sign of that. Whereas the Steelers have a major gap at security, they may make the most of Ramsey all throughout the secondary, from boundary nook to fit nook to security.
Popping out of Florida State, Ramsey was arguably the highest prospect within the class that featured the likes of QBs Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, defensive linemen Chris Jones, Joey Bosa and DeForest Buckner, and offensive linemen like Ronnie Stanley, Laremy Tunsil, Ryan Kelly and Taylor Decker.
Ramsey was the chess piece although and the Jaguars swung huge. He rewarded them initially, incomes an All-Professional accolade in 2017 whereas main the Jaguars to the AFC Championship Sport, beating the Steelers in surprising vogue within the divisional spherical earlier than taking the New England Patriots to the ultimate whistle.
Then, it was off to Los Angeles in a 2019 commerce midseason. After coping with Ramsey wrecking video games in Jacksonville, the Steelers needed to see him once more throughout the 2019 season because the Rams got here to then-Heinz Area in Week 10, which resulted in a 17-12 Steelers win.
“Jalen Ramsey clearly is central to that,” Tomlin stated in 2019, praising the Rams’ defensive turnaround after buying Ramsey, in response to the official transcript offered by the workforce. “Received loads of respect for him. Received loads of familiarity with him having seen him fairly a bit over time from his time in Jacksonville.
“…He’s the highest nook within the sport. He has the power to close down a portion of the sector or remove a receiver.”
He went on to earn two All-Professionals with the Rams and received a Tremendous Bowl, creating into among the best corners within the NFL, selecting off 4 passes every in 2021 and 2022. Then, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins forward of the 2023 season, the place he spent two years, incomes a visit to the Professional Bowl.
Now, he’s in Pittsburgh aiming to be that remaining lacking piece for the Steelers within the quest for a seventh Tremendous Bowl.
Tomlin has all the time had respect and admiration for Ramsey from afar, seeing how important of a bit he’s for the groups he’s been on. He’s been a problem to game-plan in opposition to, too. Tomlin and the Steelers are actually hoping to be on the appropriate aspect of that and reaping the rewards of a bit like Ramsey being within the Black and Gold.
