Rams DB Jalen Ramsey Shares Personal Connection to Damar Hamlin Situation

The Los Angeles Rams' star defender had some thoughtful comments on the Damar Hamlin situation.

Jalen Ramsey is well-known for his pregame comments, which often prove confrontational in nature. 

Leading into the Los Angeles Rams' 2022-23 season finale, Ramsey traded instigation for emotion as he and the rest of the NFL prepare to return to action after the scary situation surrounding Buffalo Bills defender Damar Hamlin. Though Hamlin has made medical progress since collapsing during a since-canceled Monday game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the incident has had some players taking a hard look at their mortality. 

Count Ramsey among them if his final comments before the Rams face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday (1:25 p.m. PT, Fox) are any indication.

"I’m going to keep going, keep living my life in the way that I do and do things that I love to do," Ramsey remarked. “Each day I’ll still make the decision to go do what I love and do it at an elite level and fearless and with as much heart and passion as I can. I honestly think that would be the same for a lot of people if you asked them that.”

The Hamlin incident is a bit personal for Ramsey: the Rams defender was best friends with Wayne Jones III, a Tennessee State freshman who collapsed during a team workout in 2013. The tragedy offered Ramsey a new outlook on his football career.

"My childhood best friend, he died on the football field back at Tennessee State, Wayne Jones, back in 2013," Ramsey explained. "So since then, I’ve always kind of had the perspective of it could happen and every time I go out there and practice, game, whatever, I’m at peace with taking that risk with my life. That was kind of the only thing that I remember at that time in 2013, the only thing that really gave me a sense of peace about that was he died doing what he loved to do. "

"I don’t want to see that obviously for anybody, so I’m glad that’s not the situation here. But for me personally, that’s always been something that I can live with that."

Hamlin's situation has left a solemn aura in the Rams' locker room and Ramsey praised the way that receiver teammate Brandon Powell has conducted himself in wake of the incident. Powell previously formed a friendship with Hamlin when the two shared a training camp in 2021 in Buffalo.

Powell previously credited Ramsey, an undisputed Los Angeles leader, with helping him through the grieving and healing process. But Ramsey felt that Powell's own psyche helped him more than anything.

"I didn't feel that I was instrumental in helping him get through it," Ramsey declared. "I appreciated BP being open and honest about stuff so we could talk to him about it. But I didn't really think too much of it. That's just kind of how we are regardless. 

"Even if it wasn't this situation, BP could holler at us about anything and I'm going to be the same way with him, kind of analyze the emotions, and then get to some facts, and then figure out where to go from there, and try to help him out and support him. That's what it is at the end of the day."

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