Steelers, Dolphins Swap Stars: Ramsey, Smith to Pittsburgh; Fitzpatrick to Miami

In a rare move for the NFL, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins have agreed to exchange star players in a trade. The Steelers will receive cornerback Jalen Ramsey and tight end Jonnu Smith from the Dolphins, while Miami is set to get safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, ESPN reported. 

There will also reportedly be a swap of late-round picks in 2027, with the Dolphins getting a fifth-round pick and the Steelers receiving a seventh-round pick from that draft class.

Ramsey announced that he had been traded to the Steelers on Monday morning, ending multiple months of trade speculation and rumors. It was later reported that Fitzpatrick was going back to Miami, where he played the first season of his career before getting traded in the 2019 season. 

Smith has been involved in trade rumors for the past several weeks. He was among a handful of notable players to holdout from their team’s mandatory minicamp in June as he sought a new deal. The Steelers were the team most strongly linked to Smith, especially after the signing of veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers. 

As part of the deal, the Steelers have agreed to adjust Ramsey’s contract for the 2025 season. Ramsey will get a $1.5 million raise, bringing his salary to $26.6 million for the upcoming season, NFL Media reported.

Ramsey, 30, has been one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL since the Jacksonville Jaguars selected him with the fifth overall pick in 2016. He has earned seven Pro Bowl nods and three first-team All-Pro honors over the first nine years of his career, helping the Los Angeles Rams win Super Bowl LVI in 2021. 

Neither Ramsey nor the Dolphins gave any insight into what went wrong. Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said in April that Ramsey did not ask for a trade or for more money, but after weeks of conversations with Ramsey’s representation, both sides agreed it would be best to potentially move on.

Fitzpatrick, 28, has also been among the game’s best safeties since he entered the league in 2018. He’s a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro. He was also the NFL’s co-leader in interceptions in 2022, recording six that year. 

Smith, who’ll turn 30 in August, had a career year in 2024, which was his first with the Dolphins. He recorded 88 receptions for 884 yards and eight touchdowns, helping him earn his first Pro Bowl nod. 

With the move, Smith will reunite with Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, who was the tight end’s offensive coordinator for a couple of seasons when he was with the Tennessee Titans and his head coach when he was with the Atlanta Falcons in 2023. Smith had two of his better seasons in that offense, recording 11 total touchdowns in the span. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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