Jalen Ramsey Is A Ray Of Sunshine After Signing With The Miami Dolphins

Photo Credit: Michael Schwartz

SUPER BOWL CHAMPION JALEN RAMSEY IS BRINGING A SUNNY, NEW OUTLOOK ON LIFE TO THE MIAMI DOLPHINS. AT LONG LAST, THE FORMER SEMINOLES STAR IS BACK IN FLORIDA WHERE HE BELONGS.

BY LAURA SCHREFFLER

PHOTOGRAPHY MICHAEL SCHWARTZ

STYLING LONDON WILMOT

GROOMING CESAR FERRETTE

SHOT ON LOCATION AT THE GOODTIME HOTEL, MIAMI BEACH

Photo Credit: Michael Schwartz

There’s something different about Jalen Ramsey, but I can’t quite put my finger on what.

I do a quick catalog in case something might have physically changed in the year since I saw him last (mere months after his Super Bowl LVI win, at a cover shoot for our Los Angeles book at his then-home in the Hidden Hills), but nothing is out of place: braided hair on point, sleepy eyes, Southern drawl. Check, check, check. But there is one major transformation: his smile. It’s ear to ear, beaming, infectious; it extends to his eyes and permeates his skin. It makes me want to smile, too.
It’s generally considered polite to ask people how they are, even when you know the answer, and so I do, but I am entirely unsurprised when the 28-year-old NFL star enthusiastically reveals, “I’ve been great. Obviously, there have been a lot of big changes happening with me, but it’s all good stuff. I’m happy.”

The biggest and buzziest change is Ramsey’s recent trade from the Los Angeles Rams to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for third-round pick and tight end Hunter Long, with a contract valued at $55 million over the next three seasons.

From a purely geographical point of view — heading from the Golden State to the Sunshine State — life is not a struggle for the man. On either coast, his future forecast is bright, and he knows it. “What more can you really ask for?” he wonders. “Going from LA to Miami is really not a bad transition at all. That’s not a step down. It’s kind of whatever your flavor is, really, and for me, I love both. LA will always have a spot in my heart — living there was critical for my career — but Miami is the exact lane I need to be in now. People want to come to Miami just like they do LA, so business-wise, marketing-wise, connection-wise, it’s just as good. Football-wise, I think it will bring the same fruits that LA brought.”

And that’s not all. “My family loves it, and that is a huge plus. My dad retires this year on his birthday in October, and he’s already planning on moving to Miami. So, there’s just a lot of good stuff going on. I have no reason not to smile and be happy, honestly.”

Smiling was not something he did a lot of during the 2022-2023 season, which was, admittedly, not the best year for the Rams after their Super Bowl win. For someone as competitive as Ramsey, who once joked he’d sack his own grandmother if she was playing for the opposite team, losing was literal torture.

He confides, “Obviously, [the Rams] had a tough season — which was not expected — because we had so many people get hurt. But there were some lessons learned, and some good that came out of it.”

Photo Credit: Michael Schwartz

Namely, his trade. It went down in such a way that, while Ramsey may play by the rules, it seems that all of them don’t apply to him. When it came time for the team to make some tough decisions, they did so sensitively and tastefully, giving him the out he wanted. “Instead of the Rams just being like, ‘We want to go in a different direction for the team, we had a down year and we’re going to do something else,’ it was collaborative. It allowed me to be like, ‘Hey, I know y’all want to go a different route, and I would like to go a different route as well. I still want to be competitive and try to win championships, but I also want to be closer to my family. I mean, I’ve accomplished so much; I’ve got the accolades. I’ve got the Super Bowl win. So, let’s do this together, make it a collaboration.’

“So, a bunch of teams hit [the Rams] up, wanting to trade for me, and it came down to a few things,” he continues. “I expressed to them, very clearly and firmly, that I wanted to go to Miami of the teams that were interested in me, and they honored it. They could have had more value sending me off somewhere else, but they were like, ‘You’ve done a lot for us; we appreciate you. This is a business, but we respect you.’ The whole deal was done in great faith, so I’m super thankful to them, and to Miami, too, for getting it done.”

He had his reasons for choosing Miami, including the most obvious: that he had played elsewhere in Florida during his college years as well as at the start of his professional career.

“Florida is kind of my second home,” Ramsey admits. “I lived here for eight, nine years of my life — most of my young adulthood — and so, most of my friends say I’m an honorary Floridian.”

I’m not surprised. He’s indisputably one of the best players in Florida State University’s history, becoming the first true freshman to start in every single game since Deion Sanders in 1985 and helping lead the team to two ACC Championships and a BCS Championship in 2013, inclusive of a victory during the Rose Bowl. He was a two-time first-team All-ACC selection, a second-team All-American, and a Consensus All-American. It seems right that die-hard Seminoles fans would claim the Smyrna, Tennessee, native as one of their own. (The only way he might have disappointed said fans would have been if he proceeded with his initial plan to attend the University of California after receiving more than 20 Division I offers. He did forgo his senior year to enter the 2016 NFL Draft, but their loss has been the NFL’s gain, so who’s complaining?)
Speaking of the draft, it was actually the Jacksonville Jaguars (also Floridian) who became his first team: Ramsey was selected in the first round with the fifth overall pick. He was named the starting corner and finished his rookie season with 65 combined tackles, 14 pass deflections, two interceptions, 16 touchdowns, and 16 starts.

In fact, the only time that he’s left Florida during the past many years was when he was traded to the Rams in 2019, where he signed a five-year, $105 million contract inclusive of $71.2 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid defensive back in NFL history.

On that note, I have to say, there is truly nothing honorary about him now. Ramsey is as official as they come after becoming a Magic City man on March 15, when he put his Rams blue and gold to bed and donned Dolphins aqua, blue, and orange instead. Though his first game of the season (away against the Los Angeles Chargers) won’t take place until September 10 now, he’s just enjoying the journey, getting to know and gel with his new teammates.

It was the coaching staff though, not his teammates, that provided him with the most persuasive argument for joining the Dolphins: he is totally sold on defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. “[Vic] is a guy who a lot of people would call a guru,” he explains. “He essentially created the style of defense he plays, and a lot of teams are now running it; they call it the ‘Vic Fangio Defense.’ We ran it with the Rams for the three years that I was there. The Bears, the Broncos, the Eagles all run his defense, and now he’s our defensive coordinator. That was very appealing to me. I was like, That would be amazing to play for a legendary guy like that. He’ll be in the Hall of Fame one day.”

Photo Credit: Michael Schwartz

He also references head coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier here, noting, “They said they really wanted me, and when you’re really wanted, really valued, it feels good. And one of the things that they stressed — and that I also think that I can help this Miami team with — is bringing that winning mindset, because I’ve been there and done that. I have the Super Bowl [ring], I have all the accolades [including a six-time Pro Bowl selection and a three-time first-team All-Pro selection], and I am the most decorated defensive player on the team now, so that’s why I want to be able to bring not just that elite play, but my experience to the team through tutoring and mentorship. There are a lot of really good guys on the team, a lot of young guys, a lot of hungry guys. They got back to the playoffs last year, and no, they didn’t win, but they had a very competitive game. In my opinion, this team is really set up for success, and I do think that helping out individual players is something I can do. I’m excited for it.”

He’s also excited to play alongside quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receiver Tyreek Hill, among others he says have “welcomed him with open arms. I feel like I know everybody on the team now. We’ve been practicing and getting it in, and I’ve been trying to help these guys learn the new defense because I’m familiar with it. It’s been all good, positive stuff coming in to this organization.”

It’s a good thing he gets along so well with his teammates, because those very teammates are going to be instrumental in getting him to where he needs to be as much as he’s doing the same for them. Hell, yes, he wants to make an impact on, in, and for Miami. He succinctly says, “This is one of those journeys and new challenges that I’m probably embracing more than any and everything I have before because of the leadership that I feel like I can bring and knowing that I can bring out a prize here. Like I said before, there are a lot of really great players on this team — guys that are a play or two away from being a Pro Bowler or from winning a playoff game. Being right here with the Heat is fueling that for me even more. So, I’m really taking that challenge on, being that extra piece to help bring it all together. I’m really taking it in stride and still continuing to be my elite self and build my Hall of Fame résumé. For me, right now, Miami is the place to be, for sure.”

Photo Credit: Michael Schwartz

IN AS MUCH as Jalen Ramsey chose to say “welcome to Miami,” there were a few downsides, too. After that perfect SoCal weather, the Miami humidity has not automatically become his friend. But the biggest heartbreak was having to give up his house: a beautiful, perfectly landscaped modern farmhouse with its own gym, theater, basketball court, and more. The landscaping was done in such a way that he could feel like a king in his castle, hidden by some well-placed flora and fauna. And there was a hammock! A hammock, I tell you!

But the universe has spoken. That he has so much immediate interest conveys, to me at least, that he’s on the right path. Soon, his old life in California will be a distant memory, replaced by all the greatness that’s coming his way in the 305. (And the great gifts, too, which have followed him from LA, including the customized, Rams-colored Lamborghini Urus SUV he bought himself for winning the Super Bowl, as well as his plethora of boy toys, such as a new Richard Mille RM 030 timepiece, the “goal gift” he purchased after signing with the Dolphins.)

Ramsey agrees. “I believe that God makes no mistakes anyway, but [that there were offers on it so quickly drove that feeling home]. I knew that I made the right decision to pick that home in that specific community in LA, that it would still be a good value, and that all the work I put in would appreciate and get a good value. It’s all paying off. All the decisions, all my choices, they’re meant to be. It’s all meant to happen exactly how it’s been happening.”

Like his foray into fashion, for example. Last year, he shot Gucci’s “A Hero’s Journey” campaign, an opportunity that came about because of connections he made in the City of Angels, and he’s confident he’ll have similar success in the Magic City. Because, duh, it is magic, after all.

“I’m blessed, honestly. My life has been a fun journey, to say the least,” he declares, adding, “I’m excited to embrace this city, to learn Spanish a little bit, to have fun down here. I visit Miami every year anyway; it’s a fun place to be. I can easily take my daughters and my mom to the Bahamas from here, too; it’s a hop, skip, and a jump away. I’m excited for that, but honestly, I’m excited for everything. Everything that I’m doing in my life is allowing me to spend a little bit more time with the people I love and the people who love me. So that’s another reason for me to be happy.”

As he prepares to sign off and head to the beach, he shares something that gives me Ted Lasso vibes (in the best way possible, and no, it isn’t “Be a goldfish”).

“Coach McDaniel has this thing that he always says, which is ‘Be present.’ And I really feel like I live that way now. He starts off our team meetings with a picture of a present, and he says, ‘Hey everybody, be present’ — that’s his thing. I’ve been embracing that. I feel like I enjoy life more when I’m not worrying about what tomorrow may bring or what happened in my life yesterday, just living in the present with the people I love and care about, the people who love and care about me.”

Photo Credit: Michael Schwartz

He pauses, and that megawatt smile reappears, like the blinding Miami sun. “I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything,” he promises. “I feel like I’m exactly where I need to be at this time of my life … and I’m just living it.”

“You were there; y’all saw how much I loved that house, how great it was,” he says wistfully, noting that — at the time of our chat — he hadn’t yet gotten lucky in the Miami home department. “I’ve been looking for houses since the trade. Since March, I’ve been down here every single week, back and forth from my home in Tennessee, looking for houses, going to workouts, and being around the team. But it has been tough for me to find a house right now, just because I’m comparing everything to the house in California. It was one of a kind. It’s been a fun journey, house-hunting. I forgot the fun in it. It does get a little annoying because you’re trying to get somewhere and get settled, but it’s fun going to a new city, going to a bunch of different neighborhoods, driving around, and looking at different styles of homes.”

The good news: at the time of our chat, Ramsey may have found one in Plantation Estates, an up-and-coming neighborhood in the northeast. Equally good news: after just one week on the market, his former property already has an offer, as well as interest from prospective buyers like Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden. “I told my realtor to tell James that I will not sell the house unless he leaves me a jersey or two. Otherwise, he can’t even look at the house,” he jokes, laughing.

Personally, I think he should just become friends with James. Then he could visit his former abode whenever he wants to, but that’s neither here nor there. The point is that he has to give up something he truly loves: a home where he’s seen his three daughters grow up; the home he put so much time and effort, blood, sweat, tears, and money into; and the place where he was living when he won his Super Bowl ring.

But the universe has spoken. That he has so much immediate interest conveys, to me at least, that he’s on the right path. Soon, his old life in California will be a distant memory, replaced by all the greatness that’s coming his way in the 305. (And the great gifts, too, which have followed him from LA, including the customized, Rams-colored Lamborghini Urus SUV he bought himself for winning the Super Bowl, as well as his plethora of boy toys, such as a new Richard Mille RM 030 timepiece, the “goal gift” he purchased after signing with the Dolphins.)

Ramsey agrees. “I believe that God makes no mistakes anyway, but [that there were offers on it so quickly drove that feeling home]. I knew that I made the right decision to pick that home in that specific community in LA, that it would still be a good value, and that all the work I put in would appreciate and get a good value. It’s all paying off. All the decisions, all my choices, they’re meant to be. It’s all meant to happen exactly how it’s been happening.”

Like his foray into fashion, for example. Last year, he shot Gucci’s “A Hero’s Journey” campaign, an opportunity that came about because of connections he made in the City of Angels, and he’s confident he’ll have similar success in the Magic City. Because, duh, it is magic, after all.

“I’m blessed, honestly. My life has been a fun journey, to say the least,” he declares, adding, “I’m excited to embrace this city, to learn Spanish a little bit, to have fun down here. I visit Miami every year anyway; it’s a fun place to be. I can easily take my daughters and my mom to the Bahamas from here, too; it’s a hop, skip, and a jump away. I’m excited for that, but honestly, I’m excited for everything. Everything that I’m doing in my life is allowing me to spend a little bit more time with the people I love and the people who love me. So that’s another reason for me to be happy.”

As he prepares to sign off and head to the beach, he shares something that gives me Ted Lasso vibes (in the best way possible, and no, it isn’t “Be a goldfish”).

“Coach McDaniel has this thing that he always says, which is ‘Be present.’ And I really feel like I live that way now. He starts off our team meetings with a picture of a present, and he says, ‘Hey everybody, be present’ — that’s his thing. I’ve been embracing that. I feel like I enjoy life more when I’m not worrying about what tomorrow may bring or what happened in my life yesterday, just living in the present with the people I love and care about, the people who love and care about me.”

He pauses, and that megawatt smile reappears, like the blinding Miami sun. “I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything,” he promises. “I feel like I’m exactly where I need to be at this time of my life … and I’m just living it.”

Photo Credit: Michael Schwartz