Jalen Ramsey Talks Jaguars' 'Disrespect'; Reportedly Won't Hold out on Rams

New Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey opened up about the "disrespect" that led to his departure from the Jacksonville Jaguars and placed the focus on Jaguars management.   

Ramsey told Ryan Clark on Sunday NFL Countdown that the deterioration of his relationship with the franchise began when Tom Coughlin took over the team's front office. The strain between the two sides reached a point of no return during a meeting that followed his Week 2 sideline argument with head coach Doug Marrone. 

"The disrespect got to another level in that meeting. Mind you, coach Marrone wasn't even in the meeting," Ramsey said. "It's not like me and coach Marrone had something to hash out. It wasn't even him in that meeting."

Ramsey said he was in the meeting with four members of the Jaguars front office, two of whom he respects (and were seated) and two others who were standing over him. He said he did not speak as the unnamed members of the organization aired their grievances, which "rubbed them the wrong way."

"It was a conversation as a man, you're not gonna talk to me this way," Ramsey said. "This tone you're talking to me in, you're not gonna talk to me in this tone. The things that you are saying, you're not gonna say that because you wouldn't say that if we were in another space. ... I walked out of that meeting, and I called my agent, and I said, 'Hey man, I don't want to play here in Jacksonville anymore.'"

The Rams traded two first-round picks and a fourth-rounder to the Jaguars for Ramsey, who has missed three straight games with a back injury. He is expected to make his Rams debut Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons. 

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Ramsey gave the Rams assurances he will not hold out next season if the two sides cannot come to a long-term contract extension. Ramsey has long been seeking a new deal, even arriving at Jaguars camp in a Brinks truck. That the Pro Bowler would relinquish his leverage and promise not to hold out is a sign of how desperate Ramsey was to get out of Jacksonville. 

Ramsey said he had a meeting with Jaguars owner Shahid Khan in which he aired his frustrations, noting he had nothing but respect for him and his son, Tony Khan. He said he told Khan "what would change" his trade request but would not call for anyone to be fired.

"I wasn't going to go in there and call for anybody's job. That's not me," Ramsey said. "People have families to feed, people have lives—myself included. So I just asked to remove myself from the unhealthy situation."

Schefter reported the "last straw" for Khan was Ramsey sitting out last week's loss to the New Orleans Saints despite being medically cleared to return from a back injury. Khan had publicly said he expected Ramsey to be in the lineup.

"I'm not really sure where he got the thought that I was gonna play that week," Ramsey said. "I hadn't even practiced yet. My back was still bothering me a lot. I went to see a specialist, was getting treatment and rehab around the clock at every opportunity. But I thought we were on one accord for the most part in that meeting."

Ramsey added that his contract status did not factor into his request for a trade, only that he didn't want to play for those unnamed members of the Jaguars front office.