Ryan Ramczyk

Ryan Ramczyk's Biography

Born on the 22nd of April, 1994, Ryan Mack Ramczyk (pronounced RAM-chek) emerged from Stevens Point, Wisconsin, to become an American pro football offensive tackle. Today, he is known for his plays with the New Orleans Saints in the National Football League. His interest in football was cemented from a young age, as he played the sport in high school, before morphing into a top-tier college football player at Wisconsin, and eventually becoming a pick in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft.

Ramczyk’s journey to the NFL was not a straightforward one. Prior to joining Wisconsin-Madison, where he was named an All-American lineman for the Badgers in the 2016 season, he attended four different educational institutions. His first was Stevens Point Area Senior High School, where he made meaningful contributions to the school’s football team, earning a First Team All-State selection by the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association in 2011. Ramczyk was subsequently invited to play in the 2012 Wisconsin Football Coaches Association All-Star Game in Oshkosh.

Upon graduation, Ramczyk initially declined a scholarship offer from Pittsburgh. Instead, he enrolled at a Minnesota Division-II school, Winona State, which he left before the football season kicked off. He first transferred to Madison Area Technical College, then to Mid-State Technical College in Stevens Point, each for a semester. In 2013, Ramczyk transferred again to the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. There, Ramczyk played in all ten games in his first season and was named Second Team All-Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. He subsequently earned First-Team All-WIAC honors.

When Paul Chryst became the head coach at Wisconsin-Madison, Ramczyk took the opportunity to reach out and, yet again, decided to transfer, eventually becoming the starter at the left tackle position for 2016. His hard work and exceptional performance led to his naming as the first-team All-Big Ten Conference on November 30, 2016. An invitation to the NFL Combine followed, at which Ramczyk could only perform the bench press due to a hip injury.

The road to his professional football career had Ramczyk meeting with multiple teams, including the New York Giants, Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, and New England Patriots, before finally being selected as the top offensive tackle available in the NFL draft by industry giants like NFLDraftScout.com, ESPN, Pro Football Focus, and NFL media analyst Bucky Brooks. Eventually, the New Orleans Saints picked him in the first round of the 2017 NFL draft. The pick was acquired from the Patriots in exchange for Brandin Cooks.

Ramczyk made his mark in the NFL by being the first rookie to start at left tackle in a season opener since 1986 when he debuted in 2017 against the Minnesota Vikings. Moving from left to right tackle, he started 12 games. He earned a name as a reliable player and was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.

Ryan’s growth in the NFL was apparent when he was named an All-Pro for the first time in the 2018 season. The next season, he upped the ante by not allowing a single quarterback sack and was selected as the First Team All-Pro right tackle. Having consistently demonstrated his talent in the field, Ramczyk was ranked 82nd by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.

In 2020, the Saints showed confidence in Ramczyk by exercising his fifth-year option, a testament to his outstanding performances to date. He started all 16 games in the 2020 season, and in acknowledgment of his excellent performance in the field, was named as a second-team All-Pro for that season.

Ryan’s value was further acknowledged by the Saints in 2021 with a $96 million contract extension for five years, of which $60 million was guaranteed. In the following years, Ramczyk continued to be a mainstay for the Saints, starting games and delivering stellar performances. On the 18th of July, 2024, however, Ryan was placed on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list. Conclusion notwithstanding, his journey is a testament to perseverance, hard work, and relentless dedication to the sport and his team.