Getty Image / Megan Briggs
Miami Dolphins star cornerback Jalen Ramsey recently underwent successful surgery to repair his meniscus after injury his left knee at practice. On Tuesday, Jalen Ramsey tore into Dr. David J. Chao after the sports doc speculated on Ramsey’s return.
In a clip shared by the I Am Athlete podcast, Dr. David J. Chao said he “thinks it’s a tall order for Jalen Ramsey to come back and be Jalen Ramsey.” He added that this wasn’t based on insider knowledge but rather it was based on his medical history with meniscus injuries.
Jalen Ramsey went after the @ProFootballDoc on X/Twitter, as he’s known, saying:
“SHUT UP! I done let a couple things slide, but y’all have no clue what’s even going on, just talkin to hear y’all selves talk! Last I checked, I serve the 1 & ONLY God who dictates everything, not all these twitter/“X” doctors who have NEVER seen me in their lives lol. God bless!”
SHUT UP! I done let a couple things slide, but y’all have no clue what’s even going on, just talkin to hear y’all selves talk! Last I checked, I serve the 1 & ONLY God who dictates everything, not all these twitter/“X” doctors who have NEVER seen me in their lives lol
God bless! https://t.co/KlBbG6OpZx
— Jalen Ramsey (@jalenramsey) August 8, 2023
Dr. David J. Chao immediately went into apology mode. He responded to Ramsey and said:
“Not sure how I offended you. Made it clear I haven’t met or examined you and simply state that it will be a tough task. If you come back early and play well, you become an even bigger hero. Let me know how I wronged you & I would be happy to apologize.”
Not sure how I offended you. Made it clear I haven't met or examined you and simply state that it will be a tough task. If you come back early and play well, you become an even bigger hero. Let me know how I wronged you & I would be happy to apolpogize. https://t.co/7Qwue7jpu4
— David J. Chao – ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) August 9, 2023
Dr. Chao followed that tweet up with messages of “Would have replied to @jalenramsey post directly but replies not open. I did follow to DM if you prefer offline discussion. Thanks.” And then “And happy to have a direct discussion with @jalenramsey on @IAMATHLETEpod with @BMarshall as the host/arbiter. Did not aim to offend. Will offer live apology if warranted.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Chao’s replies on Twitter were flooded by messages from his followers and Jalen Ramsey’s fans. One wrote “Stop putting negative s— out into the universe. Pretty simple.”
Another replied “I remember when you predicted Wentz wouldn’t come back the same after his injury, sadly you were correct. I don’t think you meant this to be offensive. You’re just giving a prediction based on your experiences and usually you’re right.”
Clearly there are two sides to this. Dr. David J. Chao is an incredible resource to NFL teams and has been a star in his field of orthopedics. But Jalen Ramsey is a generational talent who is always betting on himself, as he should.
I’ve torn my lateral meniscus twice. What I’ve learned over the years, having spoken with a lot of people who have suffered torn meniscuses because it comes up anecdotally, is every injury and recovery is unique. I’m betting on FSU legend, Super Bowl champion, and 6-time Pro Bowler Jalen Ramsey to come back 100%.