Hall of Fame Legend Jack Ham Speaks Out Amid Controversy Over Steelers' NFL's Most Expensive Defense:"They're shelling out $24 million for an All-Pro defensive star – but is Pittsburgh just paying for the glow of past glory?"
Hall of Fame Legend Jack Ham Speaks Out Amid Controversy Over Steelers' NFL's Most Expensive Defense:"They're shelling out $24 million for an All-Pro defensive star – but is Pittsburgh just paying for the glow of past glory?"
October 31, 2025 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
When the Pittsburgh Steelers traded Minkah Fitzpatrick to acquire Jalen Ramsey this past summer, the city of Pittsburgh erupted in excitement. A 6× Pro Bowler, 3× First-Team All-Pro, and Super Bowl champion, Ramsey was expected to be the missing piece — a proven defensive cornerstone who could help the Steelers recapture the spirit of the legendary “Steel Curtain.” But halfway through the 2025 season, the move that once looked brilliant is starting to raise serious questions.
At 31, Ramsey still flashes his trademark excellence — especially when lined up in the slot, where his experience, awareness, and toughness remain elite. Yet injuries and declining speed have made life much tougher when he’s stationed outside. Pittsburgh’s coaching staff has rotated him between slot corner, safety, and boundary corner, but that constant shifting has limited his consistency and rhythm.
“I’ll play wherever the team needs me,” Ramsey said earlier this week. “I still believe I can lock down anyone on the field. But at this stage, it’s about playing smart — relying on experience, not just speed.”
While Ramsey’s leadership and instincts remain invaluable, the financial reality is harder to justify. His adjusted deal carries an average salary of $24 million per year, placing him among the five highest-paid defensive backs in the NFL. The problem? His ideal role now resembles a hybrid safety-slot defender, where the average market value sits closer to $10–14 million annually.
“He’s still elite in spots,” a Steelers insider said. “But that $24 million price tag is tough when most of his snaps aren’t coming at the position he’s being paid for.”
Now, even Hall of Famer Jack Ham — the iconic face of Pittsburgh’s Steel Curtain defense — has weighed in.
“I’ve got nothing but respect for Ramsey — he’s been a nightmare for quarterbacks for years,” Ham said. “But football isn’t about reputation. It’s about production. The Steelers need to ask themselves: are they paying for who he is right now, or who he used to be?”
The Steelers can move on from Ramsey after this season with minimal cap damage, but doing so would strip the defense of a proven leader — one who helped the Rams lift the Lombardi Trophy. Keeping him means accepting the reality of paying superstar money for fading athleticism. Either path will shape the direction of Pittsburgh’s defense for years to come.
As the season enters its defining stretch, Ramsey’s toughness and leadership still command respect. But the question Jack Ham posed continues to echo across the Steel City:
Are the Steelers paying for the player Ramsey is today — or for the legend he once was?
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