Ugly new details leading up to the Miami Dolphins trading Jalen Ramsey to the Pittsburgh Steelers have been revealed.
The Dolphins were reportedly fed up with Ramsey after he became disruptive and hurt the culture the franchise attempted to build, the Sun-Sentinel reported last week. Ramsey was consistently late to practices and repeatedly undermined former defensive coordinator Vic Gangio and head coach Mike McDaniel, with his attitude reportedly spreading to teammates, resulting in numerous issues last season, the newspaper reported.
Ramsey, tight end Jonnu Smith and a 2027 seventh-round draft pick were sent to the Steelers in exchange for All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-round pick. The All-Pro cornerback was acquired by the Dolphins in a trade with the Rams prior to the 2023 NFL season that included a third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long being sent to Los Angeles, as well as the Dolphins giving Ramsey an additional $25 million guaranteed while taking on his previous two-year deal paying an average of $20 million annually, Rapoport reported at the time.
The former Florida State standout remained one of the NFL's best cornerbacks despite battling injuries during his first season with the Dolphins in 2023 and agreed to a three-year, $72.3 million extension, which will include a $24.1 million annual salary, once again making him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL, in September.
Ramsey saw a decline in 2024, appearing in every game but missing the Pro Bowl for the first time since 2019, while the cornerback market has since risen with Derek Stingley Jr. of the Houston Texans and Jaycee Horn of the Carolina Panthers each receiving bigger extensions. Ramsey was due $25.1 million fully guaranteed in 2025, while the Dolphins had already paid a $4 million roster bonus.
Fitzpatrick spent his first two seasons with the Dolphins before being traded to the Steelers in 2020. The former University of Alabama standout is a three-time First-team All-Pro, a five-time Pro Bowler and was the NFL interceptions co-leader during the 2022 season.