Behind the Steel Curtain
After an offseason of abnormal activity, things look to be paying off for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster, specifically with the players involved in their blockbuster summer trade.
Heading into Week Seven, the Steelers are 4-1 and hold the second seed in the AFC playoff picture. With none of Baltimore, Cleveland, or Cincinnati even close to a .500 record, the Steelers control their own destiny in the AFC North.
As Cincinnati awaits Pittsburgh for a Thursday night duel, the Steelers are riding high off a division win. With numerous players having big days, head coach Mike Tomlin has been thoroughly impressed with one man specifically.
In June, the Steelers’ general manager Omar Khan traded five-time Pro-Bowler Minkah Fitzpatrick for former fifth-overall pick Jalen Ramsey. With various opinions initially, Steelers Nation has come around to the 30-year-old cornerback with his stellar play thus far. Like the fanbase, Tomlin and his staff are incredibly pleased with Ramsey through five games.
When discussing Ramsey, Tomlin could not help but praise the cornerback after his big game on a limited snap count.
“We certainly wanted to make sure that he could impact the game,” Tomlin said. “I cannot say enough about Jalen Ramsey. This guy plays outside corner, he plays nickel, he plays free safety. He is exactly what we hoped he would be and certainly he was significant today.”
The 10th-year pro entered Sunday’s contest listed as questionable due to a hamstring injury he suffered two weeks prior during the Steelers’ overseas victory. With question marks regarding his availability for the divisional outing, Ramsey stepped up big, going for six tackles, including two sacks.
“I’m going to probably tell my kids about this,” said Ramsey. “I played in a game with T.J. Watt and Myles Garrett, and I had two sacks. That’s crazy.”
Impressed with his own performance, Ramsey and the Steelers have fit together, further proving his Steelers DNA. Despite his strong play, was giving up Fitzpatrick worth the while?
While Pittsburgh looks to be trending in the right direction, the Miami Dolphins could not be further from it. A 1-5 start pins the Miami toward rock bottom of the AFC. With turmoil regarding their current situation, Fitzpatrick has been a bright spot on a struggling defense.
The former Steeler has 38 total tackles, five pass defenses, and an interception through his first six games back with Miami. Comparatively, Ramsey has 20 total tackles, four pass defenses, and an interception to go along with his two sacks.
As the two are similar in numbers, the Steelers’ end of the trade leads their much-improved defense. In the opening two weeks of 2025, Pittsburgh surrendered 63 total points to New York (Jets) and Seattle. Since then, they have allowed 47 points between New England, Minnesota, and Cleveland.
Coming off their best performance, where they allowed just nine points, the veteran is proving to be a leader on the Steelers’...
