By acquiring Ramsey this past offseason from the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for tight end Hunter Long and a 2023 third-round pick, the Dolphins managed to plug a problem spot at cornerback on the field opposite fellow perennial Pro Bowl corner Xavien Howard.
That plan turned to dust in late July during training camp when Ramsey was forced to undergo meniscus surgery on his left knee on July 28 after he suffered a non-contact injury while covering wideout Tyreek Hill in an 11-on-11 drill.
Ramsey wasn't expected back until December. But after lots of hard work and some good news that his medical diagnosis was not as bad as first feared, Ramsey made his Dolphins debut days before Halloween. To commemorate the occasion, Ramsey dropped a mini-movie documenting the comeback in the moments before his gridiron resurrection.
It's one thing to make a comeback, but it's an entirely different animal to make a major impact on your initial return to the field. In his first action of the season, Ramsey did just that and more by making a critical game-changing interception just before halftime that turned a possible 14-14 game into a 17-7 contest.94 Days Since Injury: FIN5 Debut! God’s plan is the best plan! Thank you Jesus Christ! I’m back 🤟🏾 pic.twitter.com/WiU2hKoKoS
— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) October 29, 2023
Sights of Ramsey sprinting toward an opponent's end zone with the football? Finally, it's a Halloween miracle. Our king of the secondary hath returned to reclaim his rightful throne.
Even as Ramsey returned, the Dolphins' secondary remained nowhere near intact. Howard and Pro Bowl safety Jevon Holland missed the Patriots game with ailments.JALEN RAMSEY INTERCEPTION IN DOLPHINS DEBUT 🐬
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 29, 2023
(via @NFL)pic.twitter.com/VLAKSwC93i
When the whole crew of defensive backs are back on the field, the Dolphins will finally cook with a full tub of Crisco.
“I wanted to be as advertised… I’m very pleased with my debut, you could say, the warm up.”
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) October 29, 2023
Listen to Dolphins star DB @jalenramsey go deep in our @nflnetwork @NFLGameDay 1-on-1 on his 94-day journey back from full meniscus repair, feeling unworthy of God’s grace & the support: pic.twitter.com/QsLQ7yy6wA
Ramsey Details Recovery
After the game, Ramsey was thankful. He could also finally share how his knee injury occurred and what has transpired since."I had to rehab my knee, right? You got other muscles that I had to strengthen and get right. But your mind is the most powerful thing in your body," Ramsey told reporter Cameron Wolfe after the game.
"It was great days, good days, average days, not-so-good days, and really bad days for me," Ramsey said of his recovery. "But everybody around me, the whole team, kept their mindset and kept me with a hopeful mindset. It just kept me going every single day. I'm so grateful and thankful."
He told reporters later in the press room that his eventual timeline for recovery was December, with a best-case scenario of a return in November. So naturally, he circled the New England game in late October as a return date that would prove the doubters wrong.
Ramsey dropped a mini-movie about his recovery, then shined in his return. Mission accomplished.
What's Next
Prost — the Miami Dolphins are headed to Germany! It's breakfast with the Dolphins next weekend, as Miami, now with a healthy lead in the AFC East, will face off against the Kansas City Chiefs at 9:30 a.m. in the first Dolphins game in Deutschland.The game is a strange homecoming of sorts for Tyreek Hill, who will play the Chiefs for the first time since he was traded from Kansas City to the Dolphins two offseasons ago.