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One of the best things you can see regarding the hiring of a new head coach is how their former players speak about them and their time together. When it comes to Brandon Staley and his time with Rams All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey, you honestly can’t get much better. Ramsey has become well-known as one of the most-outspoken players in the league, especially following a spread in GQ several years ago where he spent the majority of the interview dishing out his opinions on whether each team’s starting quarterback was trash or actually a good player.
Per Rams writer Stu Jackson, Ramsey had nothing but excellent things to say about his one-year coordinator during the Rams year-end press conference, including a statement where Ramsey called Staley “the best defensive coordinator that I’ve had for sure in the NFL.” Ramsey went on to call Staley “smart” and that he knows where and how to utilize his players to get the most of them in any given situation.
Jalen Ramsey said Brandon Staley is "the best defensive coordinator that I've had for sure in the NFL," and that's not a shot at previous DCs he's worked with in LA or Jacksonville. Said Staley is smart and knows how to put players in position to make an impact on the game.
— Stu Jackson (@StuJRams) January 17, 2021
Ramsey was reportedly very quick to give his thoughts on the hire when he reached out his former Florida State teammate and Chargers safety Derwin James immediately following the news. According to ESPN, James was very “excited” about the hire.
Last month, Ramsey told the media that he “hopes (Staley is) here for awhile. But it wouldn’t surprise me at all if this is a one-and-done for him. I would be happy for him.” I think one of my favorite quotes from Ramsey was that Staley is “about ball” while being a player’s coach at the same time, saying he “loves that about him.”