Rams CB Jalen Ramsey thankful for $105 M deal, embraces playing in L.A.
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Jalen Ramsey said he experienced a dizzying array of emotions after finding out the Los Angeles Rams and his representation had agreed to terms on a lucrative, new contract extension.
“A lot of emotions went through my mind,” Ramsey said. “I felt relieved. I felt like a lot of hard work had paid off -- I don’t know. I had a lot going on in my mind, really. The trust and respect that the whole Rams organization had for me, since they traded for me has meant a lot. So I would just like to thank them, the whole organization from top to bottom.”
Ramsey inked a five-year, $105 million deal that includes $72 million in guaranteed money. Ramsey’s new contract averages $21 million per year, making his agreement the largest contract signed by a cornerback in NFL history.
“I can’t wait to play here hopefully the rest of my career,” Ramsey said. “I can’t wait to one day tell my kids that I played with the best football player ever in Aaron Donald. Hopefully we can do great things, win a lot of Super Bowls in L.A.”
Ramsey called his agent David Mulugheta the best in the business at what he does, and that he considers him family. Ramsey said he’s the Godfather to one of Mulugheta’s sons.
“He’s more than my agent, honestly,” Ramsey said. “Family is important to him, and family is important to me.”
Mulugheta called Ramsey to let him know about the deal. Afterwards, Ramsey said one of the first calls he made was a video call to his daughters, Breelynn and Brooklyn and their mother Breanna Tate, letting them know the news.
“I don’t even cry or anything like that,” Ramsey said. “But I just teared up thinking about my daughters, and how I can just take care of them without any worries, and how they’ll never have to worry in their life, even in their kids’ liv eswhen they’re thirty-something.”
Ramsey said a couple of the escalators in his contract are named after his daughters, the Breelynn and Brooklyn bump ups.
“That’s my why,” Ramsey said, when asked why he included the escalators named after his daughters. “That’s my motivation. It’s going to give me something to strive for. … Trying to get some more money for them, really.”
Ramsey said he started to get a little anxious about the deal as the season closed in, and was relived to have it behind him once he put pen to paper so that he could focus on the upcoming season.
“Ever since I’ve gotten here, it’s been love, honestly,” Ramsey said. “Like literally from the first time I stepped off the flight it’s been love from people at the airport when I got traded here. So it’s been love ever since.
“Obviously, I was in the season, so I pretty busy. Here and there I would go places, I would go to eat or be at the mall or whatever, and people would show love. … I’m excited for what the future holds.”
Along with taking care of his family, Ramsey’s newfound wealth will allow him to give back to those not as fortunate, including those in Los Angeles and back in his hometown of Nashville.
Ramsey already has pledged $1 million to Purpose Prep Academy, a charter school in North Nashville, Tenn.
“It’s an amazing school,” Ramsey said. “I would encourage you all to look it up. … And you’ll find out a bunch of details. And I can’t wait to talk about it with you more in other media sessions because we have a lot great things going on, and we have a lot of great people involved, not just myself. But it’s an amazing school, and I’m glad that I’m able to help them out even more.”
