Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin has always had a great deal of respect for defensive back Jalen Ramsey, dating back to when Ramsey was coming out of Florida State.
Though the Steelers had no shot at drafting the former Seminoles’ star in the 2016 NFL Draft, where Ramsey went No. 5 overall, Tomlin still held him in high regard. Especially after Ramsey took a Pro Day Dinner with Tomlin and then-GM Kevin Colbert.
Over the years, with Ramsey playing for the likes of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams and Miami Dolphins, Tomlin and the Steelers have had to deal with the great talent. Ramsey has been a thorn in the Steelers’ side over and over again.
Until now.
Now, the All-Pro defensive back is a member of the Steelers, thanks to a shocking June 30 trade between the Steelers and Dolphins. Pittsburgh acquired Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith and sent safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to the Dolphins, along with a late-round pick swap in the 2027 NFL Draft.
The move was stunning, as the Steelers moved on from their own star defensive back while in turn getting older and more expensive with Ramsey. But finally, after years of dealing with him as an opponent, Tomlin gets his hands on the great defensive back.
Ahead of the Steelers’ matchup with the Jaguars in 2018 in Week 11 on the road, Tomlin praised Ramsey as a unique piece.
“His talents. He’s long, he’s fast, he’s combative,” Tomlin said of Ramsey ahead of that 2018 matchup, according to the transcript provided by the team. “His above-the-neck game and feel for the passing game is excellent. He’s physical.
“People often forget that this guy was probably the best safety prospect in the draft, as well, when he came out, and that just speaks to his talent level and how immense it is.”
That unique piece that Ramsey was ahead of 2018 is what the Steelers hope he still remains today ahead of the 2025 season, a season in which the Steelers are aiming to compete for a Super Bowl, and the trade for Ramsey was a key signal of that. While the Steelers have a significant hole at safety, they could utilize Ramsey all across the secondary, from boundary corner to slot corner to safety.
Coming out of Florida State, Ramsey was arguably the top prospect in 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 though and the Jaguars swung big. He rewarded them initially, earning an All-Pro accolade in 2017 while leading the Jaguars to the AFC Championship Game, beating the Steelers in shocking fashion in the divisional round before taking the New England Patriots to the final whistle.
Then, it was off to Los Angeles in a 2019 trade midseason. After dealing with Ramsey wrecking games in Jacksonville, the Steelers had to see him again during the 2019 season as the Rams came to then-Heinz Field in Week 10, which resulted in a 17-12 Steelers win.
“Jalen Ramsey obviously is central to that,” Tomlin said in 2019, praising the Rams’ defensive turnaround after acquiring Ramsey, according to the official transcript provided by the team. “Got a lot of respect for him. Got a lot of familiarity with him having seen him quite a bit over the years from his time in Jacksonville.
“…He is the top corner in the game. He has the ability to shut down a portion of the field or eliminate a receiver.”
He went on to earn two All-Pros with the Rams and won a Super Bowl, developing into one of the best corners in the NFL, picking off four passes each in 2021 and 2022. Then, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins ahead of the 2023 season, where he spent two years, earning a trip to the Pro Bowl.
Now, he’s in Pittsburgh aiming to be that final missing piece for the Steelers in the quest for a seventh Super Bowl.
Tomlin has always had respect and admiration for Ramsey from afar, seeing how significant of a piece he is for the teams he’s been on. He’s been a challenge to game-plan against, too. Tomlin and the Steelers are now hoping to be on the right side of that and reaping the rewards of a piece like Ramsey being in the Black and Gold.
