Wednesday’s “First Call” reveals how Jalen Ramsey is leaking the jersey number he wants with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cameron Heyward is sorting out emotions after the departure of Minkah Fitzpatrick. Rod Woodson has thoughts about Ramsey perhaps moving to safety.
And a former Penguins goalie — besides Alex Nedeljkovic — has a new place to play.
Gimme five
Jalen Ramsey is hinting at what his jersey number with the Steelers might be. It appears he’ll wear No. 5.
The recently acquired cornerback wore that number in Miami and Los Angeles as well. He posted a picture on social media with his name on the back of a No. 5 Steelers jersey.
— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) July 1, 2025
Ramsey wore No. 8 at Florida State and No. 20 when he was a Jacksonville Jaguar.
Former Carolina defensive back D’Shawn Jamison and punter Cameron Johnston had No. 5 on the Steelers roster as of Tuesday morning. Johnston is coming off an injury last year. Corliss Waitman, who finished 2024 as the Steelers’ punter, now wears No. 3 after Aaron Rodgers was offered his old No. 8.
Ramsey was acquired Monday along with tight end Jonnu Smith and a 2027 seventh-round pick in exchange for Minkah Fitzpatrick and a 2027 fifth-rounder.
More sports
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• Paul Skenes was overdue for a few good breaks against the Cardinals
• Penguins trade away goalie Alex Nedeljkovic, avoid big-ticket items on 1st day of free agency
Rod on Ramsey
As noted at SteelersDepot.com, a clip of Steelers legend Rod Woodson from the “Up & Adams” show is making the rounds.
It’s from June 11, before Ramsey was traded to the Steelers. Kay Adams asked Woodson if he thought Ramsey was capable of making the move to safety from cornerback.
“Mindset, he is capable of doing it. He does have that physicality. He does like to tackle. If he is willing to put his body through those rigors,” Woodson said. “You have to be a willing tackler as a safety. I think he can do it, because he tackles as a corner. He has that mindset. He can cover tight ends and all that. … If you’ve got to fill the B gap, if you’ve got to come off the edge and fill the C gap, I think he’s capable of doing it.”
Can Jalen Ramsey make the switch to Safety?
Rod Woodson believes so, if he’s “willing to take that punishment.” @heykayadams | @RodWoodson26 pic.twitter.com/cM3uYkAkn3
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) June 11, 2025
Few players have made that move as effectively as Woodson did. Between Baltimore and Oakland, the eventual Hall of Famer made four Pro Bowls as a safety after earning seven nominations at corner in Pittsburgh.
There has been no official indication that Ramsey will have to make such a move. But with Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay on the roster already, it’s possible Ramsey may be the best fit to play slot or safety if all three are on the field at once.
Tip of the cap from the captain
Steelers defensive captain Cameron Heyward expressed mixed reactions to the news of the Fitzpatrick trade during his latest “Not Just Football” podcast, which was posted Tuesday morning.
“I’m excited about the new teammates, but I’m also sad to be losing a guy that I really respect in our locker room,” Heyward said.
Heyward and Fitzpatrick have spent the past six years as teammates.
“You think that’s going to be really cool to see those DBs just fly around. Then I got the gut-check of losing a really good teammate in Minkah Fitzpatrick,” Heyward said. “I don’t know how I feel about it. It’s bittersweet. I’ve enjoyed playing with him, and I was kind of just shook by it all.”
That said, Heyward did praise Ramsey for being “ball savvy” and flexible within the secondary.
Murray on the move
Former Penguins goalie Matt Murray has a new place to play.
The two-time Stanley Cup champion is heading to the Seattle Kraken. It’s a one-year, $1 million contract.
????️ THIS JUST IN
Goaltender Matt Murray is joining the #SeaKraken on a one-year deal → https://t.co/5IQhHlgrrA pic.twitter.com/GnDyJ9jzET
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) July 1, 2025
The 31-year-old netminder has been on a winding road since leaving Pittsburgh at the end of the 2019-20 season. Since then, he has been with the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs and has played a total of 26 AHL games.
Over that time, Murray is 30-34-5 with a .900 save percentage and a 3.16 goals against. He’s played in just one playoff game for Toronto, allowing one goal on seven shots in a game this past season.
Since his departure from Pittsburgh, Murray has dealt with injuries to an adductor, a hip and has had a concussion.
Listen: Tim Benz and Chris Adamski discuss the Steelers-Dolphins trade
