Jalen Ramsey Bio
Jalen Ramsey is an American professional football safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and was selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars fifth overall in the 2016 NFL draft. Known for his confident play and elite coverage skills, Ramsey has built a reputation as one of the most decorated defensive backs of his generation.
With the Jaguars, Ramsey quickly became one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL, making the Pro Bowl and being named an All-Pro in 2017, in addition to helping Jacksonville snap a 10-year playoff drought. After a trade to the Los Angeles Rams, a Super Bowl title, and a stop with the Miami Dolphins, he now plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He stands 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighs around 211 pounds.
Early Life and Background
Jalen Ramsey was born on October 24, 1994, in Smyrna, Tennessee, to Lamont and Margie Ramsey. His father, Lamont, worked as a District Chief in the Fire Department and later became Jalen’s training coach. His older brother, Jamal, played football, basketball, and track at Battle Ground Academy in Franklin, Tennessee, and later played quarterback at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, where their father had once played football.
Ramsey improved his football skills by playing with much older boys at a local park and grew up cheering for the Miami Hurricanes in a family of Florida Gators fans. He attended Ensworth High School in Nashville as a freshman before transferring to Brentwood Academy in Brentwood, Tennessee, where he became a two-sport star in football and track and field. He was rated by Rivals.com and Scout.com as a five-star recruit and one of the top overall recruits in his class. He originally committed to the University of Southern California but later changed to Florida State University.
Ramsey had a highly decorated high school track career, shattering the Tennessee state record in the long jump with a mark of 25 feet 3.25 inches (7.7026 m) on May 24, 2013, breaking a 16-year-old record set in 1997. He competed in events ranging from the 100 meters to the shot put, recording personal bests of 10.50 seconds in the 100-meter dash and a top throw of 49 feet 11 inches (15.21 m) in the shot put.
Path to American Football
Ramsey started all 14 games for the Florida State Seminoles as a true freshman in 2013, becoming the first true freshman to start at cornerback for the team since Deion Sanders in 1985. He wore jersey number 13 during his freshman year when Florida State won the BCS National Championship over Auburn. He recorded a 23-yard fumble return for a touchdown in a 59-3 victory over Wake Forest and finished the year with 49 tackles, an interception, and a sack.
As a sophomore, Ramsey played 14 games with 80 tackles, two interceptions, 12 passes defended, three forced fumbles, and two sacks. As a junior, he played 13 games, earning Consensus All-American honors and helping Florida State remain a national contender. On September 18, 2015, against Boston College, he recorded a 36-yard fumble return for a touchdown in a 14-0 victory. After his junior year, Ramsey announced his intention to forgo his senior season and enter the 2016 NFL draft.
Ramsey also competed in track and field at Florida State as a relay sprinter and long jumper, earning All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors. He placed third at the 2014 ACC Indoor Championship in the long jump and won the 2015 ACC Long Jump Championship with a leap of 26 feet 1.5 inches (7.963 m). His personal best jump was 26 feet 1.75 inches (7.9693 m) at the 2015 NCAA Indoor Championships.
Jalen Ramsey Career
Early Career (2016)
The Jacksonville Jaguars selected Ramsey in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2016 NFL draft, making him the first cornerback selected and the highest drafted cornerback in franchise history. On May 19, 2016, he suffered a small meniscus tear during rookie training camp and underwent surgery days later. The Jaguars signed him to a four-year, $23.35 million rookie contract that included $22.9 million guaranteed and an initial signing bonus of $15.18 million.
Ramsey made his professional regular season debut on September 11, 2016, against the Green Bay Packers and recorded three combined tackles. On December 24, 2016, he made four solo tackles, four pass deflections, and returned an interception 30 yards for his first career touchdown during a 38-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans. He finished his rookie season with 65 combined tackles, 14 pass deflections, two interceptions, and a touchdown in 16 starts, earning a place on the NFL All-Rookie Team.
Jacksonville Jaguars Breakthrough (2016-2019)
In 2017, Ramsey was paired with A. J. Bouye as the Jaguars built one of the league’s top secondaries. On October 8, 2017, he collected a season-high seven solo tackles, four pass deflections, and an interception off Ben Roethlisberger in a 30-9 victory at Pittsburgh. He started all 16 games, recorded four interceptions, and was named First Team All-Pro. The Jaguars finished the 2017 season atop the AFC South with a 10-6 record, snapping a 10-year playoff drought.
Ramsey started in his first career postseason game on January 7, 2018, recording an interception in a Wild Card win over the Buffalo Bills. He helped Jacksonville win the Divisional Round at Pittsburgh 45-42 and started in the AFC Championship at New England. In 2018, he was named to his second Pro Bowl and recorded 65 combined tackles, 13 pass deflections, and three interceptions.
Tensions grew in 2019, and on September 15, 2019, Ramsey was involved in a verbal altercation with head coach Doug Marrone. Reports surfaced that Ramsey was demanding a trade. After being listed as inactive for several games, he never appeared again as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Los Angeles Rams Era (2019-2022)
On October 15, 2019, the Jaguars traded Ramsey to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for a 2020 first-round pick, a 2021 first-round pick, and a fourth-round pick. Head coach Sean McVay named Ramsey the No. 1 starting cornerback to replace Marcus Peters, and he earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl nomination. On December 21, 2019, he recorded his first interception as a Ram in a 34-31 loss at San Francisco.
On September 9, 2020, the Rams signed Ramsey to a five-year, $100 million contract extension that included $71.2 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history. He earned First Team All-Pro honors and another Pro Bowl nomination. In 2021, he tied a career high with four interceptions, added 16 pass deflections, and helped the Rams finish atop the NFC West with a 12-5 record.
Ramsey played a key role in the Rams’ postseason run, recording tackles and deflections in wins over the Cardinals, Buccaneers, and 49ers. On February 13, 2022, he started in Super Bowl LVI and recorded four combined tackles and a pass deflection as the Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 to earn his first Super Bowl ring. In 2022, he played all 17 games with a career-high 88 combined tackles, 18 passes defended, four interceptions, two sacks, and two forced fumbles, earning another Pro Bowl nomination.
Pittsburgh Steelers Era (2025-Present)
On June 30, 2025, Ramsey, along with Jonnu Smith and a 2027 seventh-round pick, was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. The trade included a $1.5 million raise, bringing his expected earnings to $26.6 million in 2025.
During the season opener against the New York Jets, Ramsey had two tackles and a game-sealing hit on wide receiver Garrett Wilson with 18 seconds left to give the Steelers a narrow 34-32 victory. In Week 6, he recorded his first career multi-sack game with two sacks in a 23-9 victory over the Cleveland Browns. In Week 11, Ramsey was ejected after punching Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and was later fined $14,491. In the 2025 season, he finished with three sacks, 88 tackles, one interception, and eight passes defended.
Notable Events and Milestones
Ramsey’s signature moment came on February 13, 2022, when he helped the Rams defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 in Super Bowl LVI, earning his first Super Bowl ring. He has been selected to eight Pro Bowls and named First Team All-Pro three times. He also won a BCS National Championship with Florida State in 2013 and was named a Consensus All-American in 2015, cementing his status among the most decorated defensive backs of his era.
Jalen Ramsey Career Wins
Jalen Ramsey has built one of the most accomplished résumés among active NFL defensive backs, with 622 total tackles, 25 interceptions, 116 pass deflections, six sacks, and one defensive touchdown across his career. He is an eight-time Pro Bowler, a three-time First Team All-Pro, and a Super Bowl LVI champion. His postseason résumé includes multiple playoff wins with the Jaguars and Rams, capped by a championship run in the 2021 season.
NFL Highlights
Ramsey’s first NFL interception came on December 18, 2016, off Brock Osweiler during a narrow loss to the Houston Texans. His first career defensive touchdown came days later on December 24, 2016, when he returned an interception 30 yards against the Tennessee Titans. He earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors in both his rookie season and later during his 2023 campaign with the Miami Dolphins.
Ramsey has been selected to the Pro Bowl every year from 2017 through 2023, and again in 2025, totaling eight Pro Bowl nods. He earned First Team All-Pro honors in 2017, 2020, and 2021. He was also named to the NFL All-Rookie Team in 2016 and ranked among the NFL Top 100 Players nine times, peaking at number nine in 2022.
Jalen Ramsey Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Jalen Ramsey comes from a deeply athletic family rooted in Smyrna, Tennessee. His father, Lamont Ramsey, is a District Chief in the Fire Department and became Jalen’s personal training coach. His older brother, Jamal, played football, basketball, and track at Battle Ground Academy and went on to play quarterback at Middle Tennessee State University, where their father had once played football.
Personal Life
Ramsey is a Christian and frequently mentions his faith on his social media accounts. In July 2018, he and Breanna Tate, the younger sister of retired wide receiver Golden Tate, had a daughter together. The pair had a second daughter in September 2019, though they had broken up earlier that summer.
Ramsey has been known for his trash talk both on and off the field, particularly during his time with Jacksonville. Notable examples include his 2017 altercation with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver A. J. Green and his widely discussed August 2018 GQ interview in which he offered unfiltered opinions of several NFL quarterbacks. He is also active on social media under the handles @jalenramsey on X and @jalenramsey on Instagram.
2025 Season Performance
Ramsey’s 2025 season began with a blockbuster trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers on June 30, 2025, alongside Jonnu Smith in exchange for Minkah Fitzpatrick. He delivered one of the signature moments of the Steelers’ opening weekend with a game-sealing hit on Garrett Wilson in a 34-32 win over the New York Jets. The veteran defensive back quickly established himself as a tone-setter in the Steelers’ secondary.
Throughout the season, Ramsey produced one of the more productive statistical years of his career, finishing with three sacks, 88 tackles (53 solo), one interception, and eight passes defended. He recorded his first career multi-sack game in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns, and in Week 11 he was ejected after punching Ja’Marr Chase following an on-field incident. He was fined $14,491 for the altercation.
Looking ahead, Ramsey is signed through the 2026 season and remains a central piece of the Steelers’ defensive plans. His mix of veteran leadership, coverage instincts, and physicality gives Pittsburgh a proven playmaker in the secondary as the team builds toward a deeper playoff push. With his contract running through 2026, Ramsey’s role with the Steelers is expected to remain prominent in the seasons to come.
