Pittsburgh, PA – July 7, 2025
The moment this trade hit the timeline, you could almost hear Steelers Nation erupting in disbelief — not at what they gave up, but at what they just stole. One of the best cornerbacks of the past decade, a future Hall of Famer, is now wearing black and gold. And Miami? They're getting torched by their own legends.
For days, Asante Samuel Sr. — two-time Super Bowl champion and former All-Pro — couldn’t hold back. On his podcast, his words cut deep: “There’s no leadership in the Dolphins organization... they’re running this team like a little league team.” That wasn’t just frustration talking. That was a Hall of Famer calling it exactly how he saw it — a franchise giving away a generational talent like Jalen Ramsey because they couldn’t manage his presence.
You read that right. The Steelers got Jalen Ramsey and Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith. In return? The Dolphins took home an aging Minkah Fitzpatrick and a late-round pick. Even Samuel couldn’t believe it: “Ramsey could’ve moved to safety and been more productive than the guy they traded for.” That statement hits harder when you realize Ramsey once said himself he’d gladly make that position switch.
Ramsey’s resume speaks for itself — 7× Pro Bowl, 3× First-Team All-Pro, and a Super Bowl champion. He’s the kind of player you build a defense around, not ship out over ego and indecision. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler even compared him to Rod Woodson, the iconic Steeler who also made the corner-to-safety transition. “This is a flexibility move,” Fowler said. “He can play slot, he can play safety. You’re getting a modern chess piece.”
Brian Baldinger echoed the sentiment, painting a vision of a revamped Steelers secondary: “Think about it — Slay at left corner, Porter at right, Ramsey in the star role. This defense just leveled up.” In other words, Pittsburgh didn’t just win the trade. They may have built the most feared defensive backfield in football.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, are facing a backlash from analysts and fans alike. One year after handing Ramsey a fresh extension, they backed out of the marriage and accepted pennies on the dollar. And let’s not forget — Fitzpatrick was a non-factor last season. This wasn’t an equal exchange. This was a reset. An admission of failure.
The Steelers, on the other hand, are in win-now mode. DK Metcalf. Aaron Rodgers. And now Jalen Ramsey. Every move screams one thing: they’re coming for the AFC crown.
Stay tuned to ESPN for more on the Steelers' rising Super Bowl ambitions.
