The Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers shocked the football world on Monday by executing a sudden and unexpected blockbuster trade. The Dolphins sent Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith to the Steelers in exchange for Minkah Fitzpatrick and a late-round draft pick. Both Ramsey and Smith had been involved in trade rumors throughout the offseason but Pittsburgh didn't seem a likely destination given the significant acquisitions the franchise already made in the last few months. Apparently it was a mistake to think that.
The trade's impact will be substantive on the field and the initial reaction from the NFL community was all over the place. From Fitzpatrick's unlikely return to Miami to swapping a pair of All-Pro defenders to Smith reuniting with Arthur Smith, there were a lot of aspects to consider.
Above all, though, nobody saw this coming. Here's a sampling of how the NFL world reacted to the blockbuster trade.
Not immediately knowing Minkah Fitzpatrick was the return for Jalen Ramsey is burying the lede in the highest degree
— David Kenyon (@Kenyon19_BR) June 30, 2025
Steelers fans finding out they got Jalen Ramsey vs 30 seconds later realizing they gave up minkah Fitzpatrick pic.twitter.com/KaJwX3Ttht https://t.co/5FZGqgNn6U
— John (@iam_johnw) June 30, 2025
I've been laughed at (on TV and off) for the take, but you don't go and acquire Jalen Ramsey, Aaron Rodgers, WR DK Metcalf, and CB Darius Slay if you DON'T have serious Super Bowl aspirations. These are "all in" moves. Whether they are or not, Pitt thinks they're close. @ESPNNFL
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) June 30, 2025
No way Dolphins gave away fantasy football legend Jonnu Smith
— meaux (@meauxzilla) June 30, 2025
Minkah Fitzpatrick still a top-10 safety, but evaluators around league have seen some decline, and trade whispers regarding his future first surfaced in March.
They've seen decline in Ramsey, too, but his versatility becomes valuable -- he can play on outside, nickel or safety
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) June 30, 2025
steelers with flex seal approach to roster building. Castoffs and once was. https://t.co/Kn6vdjrBJA pic.twitter.com/QfXwiF5iM6
— Word? Word! Word. (@ib_blackman79) June 30, 2025
I am pretty positive I am out on this for the Dolphins. The back half of the 2024 season for Minkah was...not great! Could be all communication issues and coaching problems, as they claimed...buttttttt
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) June 30, 2025
https://t.co/hpWThe9kJR pic.twitter.com/U3kGya4pC3
— 32BeatWriters (@32BeatWriters) June 30, 2025
Steelers organizing a Minkah-for-Ramsey swap just so they can get Arthur Smith his jet sweep guy https://t.co/iOODVNPsRW
— Arif Hasan, but NFL 🏈 (@ArifHasanNFL) June 30, 2025
The Steelers and Dolphins are reviving big NFL trades because the other 30 teams don't wanna do it. God bless em. Let's get nuts. https://t.co/3omNHEFsIF
— Kevin Clark (@bykevinclark) June 30, 2025
This is off the rails folks buckle up! https://t.co/nacW4wS61L
— john walker iv (@realjohnwalker) June 30, 2025
The NFL never sleeps. A lazy summer Monday in June suddenly has wide-spread ramifications throughout the league.
What a day for the Dolphins and the Steelers.
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