The Pittsburgh Steelers are in championship-or-bust mode.
This comes after they spent over $375 million in the offseason to acquire perennial Pro Browl veteran talents, including Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf, among a plethora of others.
The Steelers also re-signed star defensive edge T.J. Watt, agreeing to a multi-year extension worth three-years, $123 million, seeing him top the list of highest-paid non-quarterbacks.
Jalen Ramsey throws subtle shade at Mike McDaniel after leaving Dolphins
But the Black and Gold also brought in Jalen Ramsey after completing a blockbuster swoop with the Miami Dolphins for the three-time All-Pro cornerback.
Ramsey spent just two seasons in Miami after his relationship with head coach Mike McDaniel reportedly became “irreparably broken.”
The seven-time Pro Bowler added fuel to the fire around this when he appeared on an episode of the The Pivot Podcast, and indirectly took a shot at McDaniel.
“I do appreciate the Dolphins and them working with me,” Ramsey said. “Not just, ‘hey, this team called and, you know, we’re going to send you here.’ … Let’s go to a team that’s going to be able to compete.
However, his final point threw more than a little shade towards McDaniel: “Let’s go to a team where there’s a lot of respect for the head coach.”
Sitting down with former NFL players Ryan Clark, Channing Crowder and Fred Taylor, the 30-year-old spoke candidly about how, in hindsight, he wanted to play for the Dolphins for the wrong reasons.
“When I got traded from LA, I was literally praying to go to Miami, and it was probably not for all the right reasons,” Ramsey said. “Obviously, football has always and will always be very important for me, but I also had other things in the back of my mind, too.
“Like, I want I want to live in a good city. I want my kids to enjoy life and, you know, be in the sun and have pools year round. I want my family to come to visit me.”
Ramsey, who has spent his career with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams and Dolphins – all known for their warmer climates – is now adjusting to life in Pittsburgh, but he insists that football is the only thing that matters in the Steel City.
“That’s it we about football,” Ramsey said. “I ain’t gonna lie I love this y’all. This remind me of when I was younger broke ain’t got nothing.
“Pops take me to the field I’m ready to play man. We’re going to warm up. We’re going to play football, It’s about football around here.”
Rodgers injury worry as Ramsey shares praise
When 41-year-old Rodgers was signed to a one-year, $20 million deal, in what is expected to be his 21st – and final – season in the NFL, the move sparked a lot of criticism from those around the league.
However, Ramsey has nothing but respect and admiration for his new teammate.
“The confidence that he brings to that whole offense. Everybody around him wants to be great, and it’s like nobody wants to let him down.”
With the Steelers corps all following the lead of the tone that the veteran quarterback has set since his arrival, the only thing appearing to let Rodgers down is his own body.
On Tuesday’s training camp practice, the four-time NFL MVP was seen being tended to by an athletic trainer, who wrapped a huge bag of ice around his right shin.
It was later revealed that this came as a result of a teammate inadvertently stepping on, causing a minor scrape and under-pressure head coach Mike Tomlin reassured the media in attendance that the wrapping was just precautionary and not a cause for concern.
“He just got stepped on,” Tomlin said, per The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo. “It was nothing any nothing of any significance. He finished his work.”
Rodgers was later seen getting right back into the thick of practice shortly after receiving treatment.
Earlier in training camp, Tomlin made the admission, also on The Pivot podcast, that he knew the 41-year-old would wind up playing for the Steelers, despite a decision not being made until June – two months after the 2025 NFL Draft.
“All he wants to do is win,” he said. “All he wants to do is have fun within the game,He wanted to be a component of the process of development for young players.
“Everything that we talked about through our conversations in the spring, I’m watching him live out right now in this training camp setting.
“I believed it when he said it, but it’s fun to watch it play out. I think that’s why I was excited. That’s why I was comfortable.”
Stay up to date with the latest from across the NFL via our talkSPORT Facebook page, and subscribe to our Endzone YouTube channel for news, views and exclusive interviews as we build up to the NFL Draft.