Los Angeles Rams star Jalen Ramsey has earned plenty of accolades in his career, from a national championship with Florida State to three first team All-Pro honors and five Pro Bowl selections in the NFL. He is as talented — and as confident — as any defensive back in the NFL.
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The first words in Ramsey’s Twitter and Instagram bios, though, are “Child of God through my faith in Christ.” His social media pages are filled with prayers, Bible verses and other mentions of his faith.
Last day of January & just finished Proverbs too. I highly encourage❕
The Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom 🙏🏾— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) February 1, 2022
“Without my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, I am nothing honestly,” Ramsey said this week while speaking to the media ahead of Super Bowl LVI. “Without His grace and His mercy and dying for my sins, I mean, I’m nothing. I’m sinful by nature and I’m not perfect, and that’s why I need the Lord so much.”
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Ramsey was already a two-time Pro Bowler when he joined the Rams in the middle of the 2019 season, and has been even better since arriving in Los Angeles. This season was arguably his best yet, registering a career-high 77 tackles and tying a career high with four interceptions.
Highest graded CBs in single coverage.. (PFF)
1. Jalen Ramsey, 90.1
2. JC Jackson, 88.2
3. Denzel Ward, 85.2
4. AJ Terrell, 78.7
5. Greg Newsome, 73.6 pic.twitter.com/nP8ZwaP1te— Smart Football (@SmartfootbalI) February 9, 2022
A starter all three of his seasons at Florida State, Ramsey was taken fifth overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2016 draft. He started every game his first three years and was second in Defensive Rookie of the Year voting behind Joey Bosa. In 51 games with the Jags, Ramsey picked off nine passes, forced two fumbles and collected 193 tackles.
With Ramsey seeking a change of scenery, the Rams gave up two first-round picks and a fourth-round pick to acquire him in October 2019 as part of an all-out pursuit of a Super Bowl.
Now 27, he leans on his relationship with God and views it as the catalyst for his personal growth.
“I’ve got to always lean on my faith and I’ve got to give God the glory and let God really work through me and work through my heart and try to grow,” Ramsey said this week. “That’s really how I try to grow and try to evolve as a person.”
— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) February 4, 2022
Ramsey says part of the motivation behind bold displays of faith on social media is a desire to use his platform to help people — particularly children — understand how important having a relationship with God is.
“We can never understand just the magnitude of how great God is because He’s that great,” Ramsey said. “He’s that powerful. But staying in constant meditation of the Word and prayer, I can remain in peace, I can remain humble, I can encourage others, and hopefully I can let His light shine through me.”
— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) February 5, 2022
Ways that Ramsey displays his faith in Christ during games are by drawing crosses with eyeblack under his eyes, and wearing custom thigh pads that show a cross through his pants.
The Smyrna, Tennessee, native will likely be the primary player tasked with covering Rookie of the Year Ja’Marr Chase on Sunday. Unsurprisingly, Ramsey is publicly lobbying for the assignment.
A victory over Chase and the Cincinnati Bengals would add to his list the accolade Ramsey’s dreamed about since he was a kid: Super Bowl champion.
“My journey has been different than expected, but I’ve loved every part of it,” he said. “I’ll be overjoyed and super happy to be a Super Bowl champion.”
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