Jalen Ramsey on joining the best team of his career, being a Steeler, adapting to Aaron Rodgers, surprising insight on Mike Tomlin, blue-collar swagger, key AFC matchups, and why he’s still the NFL’s top defensive back.

Pivot Podcast

The Pivot Podcast Network

Football, Society & Culture, Sports

4.9 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 12 August 2025

⏱️ 46 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

“Jalen is still Jalen. I’m still that one. I’m still the one they were looking up to, I’m still the one they will be taking parts of their game from trying to copy mine, I’m still that.” Jalen Ramsey responds to the doubters As our Training Camp tour continues, we visiting Jalen in his new NFL home, and sit down with the three-time All‑Pro cornerback as he embarks on a bold new journey with the Pittsburgh Steelers. After cementing his legacy with a Super Bowl win and with Pro Bowl honors in Jacksonville, Los Angeles, and Miami-Jalen brings his unmatched skill set and swagger to one of the NFL’s most storied franchises. We explore the motivations behind the blockbuster June 30, 2025 trade, what it means to don the iconic black and gold, and how Pittsburgh’s aggressive 2025 Super Bowl push aligns with his championship aspirations Jalen reflects on his football evolution—how his position versatility (cornerback, potential safety) and league-wide respect make him more than just "another star" on the roster, but a cornerstone of a retooled defense aiming to recapture past glory. As he joins a defense stacked with names like T.J. Watt, Darius Slay Jr., Joey Porter Jr, and a team led by veteran QB Aaron Rodgers, Jalen makes one thing clear: he's still that guy. And now, he’s exactly where he’s supposed to be. We break down how he’ll complement fellow veterans and what his arrival signals about Pittsburgh’s shift toward a win-now mentality during Aaron Rodgers’ anticipated final NFL season. This isn’t just about football—it’s about fit. Jalen talks about how his mentality now mirrors the city itself: blue-collar, unapologetic, and built on pride, toughness, and resilience. He shares how the Steel City has reignited his fire—how he's leaned into being a mentor and a menace, all while preparing to help this storied franchise chase another Lombardi. Join us for a raw, unfiltered look at an athlete who’s still got it—not just on the field, but in his leadership, swagger, and hunger to win. Thank you to our friends at Monarch Money for sponsoring this episode, Check them out here and use code PIVOT to get 50% off your first year. https://www.monarchmoney.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Jalen Ramsey is entering his 10th NFL season.
0:03.0	And after seven Pro Bowls and three first-team all-pros,
0:06.1	he feels the need to remind y'all that he's still that.
0:09.1	The veteran DB is having more fun playing football than he ever has in the league,
0:13.2	and he can't say enough good things about leader of men, Mike Tomlin.
0:16.8	Now, there's a friendly rivalry brewing in the cornerbacks room
0:20.6	between Joey Porter Jr. and
0:22.7	Ramsey, and the smile on his face lets you know just how much he loves it.
0:27.3	He ain't the young guy that fought Steve Smith anymore, although wait until you hear the
0:31.4	story behind that, but he's still every bit as competitive.
0:34.7	And he lights up when he speaks of Aaron Rogers and says he wants to be a
0:39.4	stealer for life. He's played with some of the best, OBJ, Aaron Dono, Matthew Stafford, but he
0:44.6	believes that this team is the most talent he's ever been surrounded with. He's a family man,
0:49.6	so he shares his excitement with his father, and he can't wait to show his kids what hard work looks like.
0:55.8	This isn't our first time sitting with the star, but you've never seen him like this.
0:59.5	He's sort of entering his Charles Woodson era of his career, and that's exactly where he wanted to be.
1:05.3	This is Ramsey 4.0, and you can feel a big year loading. Tap in now as Chan, Freddie T, and me chop it up with our family, Jail and Ramsey. We've been telling us, like, this is the AFC North. Yeah. Bang it. Everybody's banging. Even when you got to go tackle the receivers in Cincinnati, you better go tackle. What, T? Tea and Jamar? Tea is a big old. Grace. K. Biggin and D.K. Biggin' any T. Hell, yeah. It's portion different, too. Wow. Like, T. You know what I'm saying? But D.K. is built like a lab rat that people got bored with. Tippy toes like a baby wine. Damn. I'm too big. Hold out. Limeless. Niggas to my guy pinning it. I find the head to witness it. Got my people feeling militant. Where I'm feeling got me up. On the mission got me up. Knowing me I got the key. Only fidging I can trust, trust. Limon this, niggins stomach-kind in it. I fought the head to witness it. No, my people feeling militant. Jay, welcome to the pivot, man, for the second time. Yes, sir. You know, the first time we did it was different circumstances. You are already an all-pro and pro- bowler, but now things have shifted and changed
2:19.7	to where you're in a part of your career where people speak of you oftentimes. And the gold
2:24.6	jacket conversation starts. Fred Taylor, Channing Crowder, I'm Ryan Clark. Pivot, fam, thank y'all for
2:29.8	pivoting with us on this training camp tour. I'm going to ask you the question that Channing Crowder often ask himself when he says,
2:38.0	why couldn't I play for Mike T?
2:40.0	I try to explain to people when I'm on TV the ceiling he has as a coach, I believe, is higher than any coach I've ever been around.
	...

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