Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey was fined $17,389 for a penalized hit on Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. in the fourth quarter of the team’s 27-20 win last Sunday.
The play, which was called unnecessary roughness on the field, came on a dig route where Pittman hauled in a pass and then Ramsey hammered him. That hit was deemed a hit to the head from Ramsey, who led with his shoulder.
Despite that, Ramsey says that hit was about physicality, and he felt it was clean. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin also thought the hit from Ramsey was clean.
“I loved (the hits),” Austin said. “I mean, it’s football. It’s a violent game, and I like the way that he does that. I think the hits were clean. I know he got flagged for one, but when you look at it, he led with his shoulder. He wasn’t doing anything dirty, so we like a physical brand of ball. And I think what happens when you play that type of ball, receivers take note of that, that if you’re gonna be running across the middle of the field, there’s gonna be somebody that might tag you. So it helps us.”
This is Ramsey’s first fine of the season. Playing safety, that physicality is something that Ramsey will draw from throughout his tenure there, and especially if he continues to man the free safety spot for the Steelers.
For now, that will continue as the Steelers deal with injuries, but he has to continue to think about the style of hits he puts down that could ring up flags.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.