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Jalen Ramsey is changing positions for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2026, but his best move might’ve come a decade earlier when he survived one of the NFL’s most expensive rookie traditions without getting taken for a ride.
Ramsey, the No. 5 overall pick by Jacksonville in 2016, told “Million Dollaz Worth of Game” how he handled his rookie dinner. He booked a private room at Ruth’s Chris, studied the menu and walked into the meeting with a spending cap.
“I said, ‘Look, we're gonna go in there, we gonna have a good time, we gonna eat good, I'm gonna pay that five, and then we out,’” Ramsey said. “The rest gonna be on y'all.”
Veteran-level budgeting from a rookie right there. Ramsey had heard the horror stories about veterans ordering rare bottles, stacking up to-go plates and treating the night like a sponsored shopping spree. With Ramsey's approach, everybody eats well, but nobody left him $30k lighter in the wallet.
“It didn't go over $5,000. We enjoyed ourselves. Nobody took advantage of the opportunity,” Ramsey said. “At the end of the day, it made us closer as a secondary.”
Pittsburgh acquired Ramsey from Miami in June 2025, then used him all over the secondary. He finished his first Steelers season with 88 combined tackles, three sacks, eight passes defended and one interception.
Now entering his age-32 season, Ramsey is moving from outside cornerback to safety as Pittsburgh adjusts his role to better fit his instincts and versatility. He has 622 tackles, six sacks, 116 passes defended and 25 interceptions across 152 career games.
Three years remain on Ramsey’s $84.7 million contract, with $19.5 million guaranteed.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Jalen Ramsey avoided a dinner disaster with one move
Continue reading...
Ramsey, the No. 5 overall pick by Jacksonville in 2016, told “Million Dollaz Worth of Game” how he handled his rookie dinner. He booked a private room at Ruth’s Chris, studied the menu and walked into the meeting with a spending cap.
“I said, ‘Look, we're gonna go in there, we gonna have a good time, we gonna eat good, I'm gonna pay that five, and then we out,’” Ramsey said. “The rest gonna be on y'all.”
Veteran-level budgeting from a rookie right there. Ramsey had heard the horror stories about veterans ordering rare bottles, stacking up to-go plates and treating the night like a sponsored shopping spree. With Ramsey's approach, everybody eats well, but nobody left him $30k lighter in the wallet.
“It didn't go over $5,000. We enjoyed ourselves. Nobody took advantage of the opportunity,” Ramsey said. “At the end of the day, it made us closer as a secondary.”
Pittsburgh acquired Ramsey from Miami in June 2025, then used him all over the secondary. He finished his first Steelers season with 88 combined tackles, three sacks, eight passes defended and one interception.
Now entering his age-32 season, Ramsey is moving from outside cornerback to safety as Pittsburgh adjusts his role to better fit his instincts and versatility. He has 622 tackles, six sacks, 116 passes defended and 25 interceptions across 152 career games.
Three years remain on Ramsey’s $84.7 million contract, with $19.5 million guaranteed.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: Jalen Ramsey avoided a dinner disaster with one move
Continue reading...
