The Pittsburgh Steelers keep plugging holes in their secondary, and Jalen Ramsey isn’t sold on how the newest pieces are being taught. Ramsey, a three-time AP NFL All-Pro, told reporters on Oct. 9 that there is “a little bit of a disconnect here right now." The question concerned Sean Murphy-Bunting and Terell Smith, two cornerbacks Pittsburgh signed off the Tampa Bay and Washington practice squads. His complaint was about the teaching method.
Ramsey objected to “just throwing a playbook in their hand and coaches saying this is how it has to look.” “That’s not how football works,” he said. What does work, in his view, is time together, “actually being able to practice with each other and play games with each other.” Ramsey also echoed a recent point from quarterback Aaron Rodgers, saying “the best teams that I’ve been on in my career are player-led teams.” Plenty of fans read the comments as a shot at the coaching staff. Within two hours, Ramsey went to X to say “i rock wit the coaches” and that he has “absolutely nothing but respect for them ALWAYS.” New teammates, he wrote, need to “hear the terminology we use ON THE FIELD.” Murphy-Bunting and Smith last appeared in a regular-season game in 2024, and injuries cut short both of their seasons.
Pittsburgh went looking for help after trading Joey Porter Jr. to Dallas on Oct. 1, the same night Jamel Dean hurt his ankle. Dean is out for the Week 5 visit from the Indianapolis Colts. Ramsey is questionable with a fractured wrist.
Strong safety DeShon Elliott, back at practice after knee surgery, is still on IR. Counting from last season’s opener, Pittsburgh has started 14 defensive backs in 21 regular-season games. That figure excludes rookies Daylen Everette and Robert Spears-Jennings, both in line to start against Indianapolis.
Indianapolis may offer some relief. The Colts rank 27th in passing yards and 31st in net yards per pass attempt, and their three passing touchdowns are tied for the second-fewest in the NFL.
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