Jose Ramirez (American football)

Jose Ramirez (born May 9, 1999) is an American football linebacker for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Eastern Michigan.

Early years
Ramirez grew up in Lake Alfred, Florida and attended Auburndale High School. He played wide receiver, cornerback, safety and linebacker for the football team. A three-star recruit, he served as team captain as a senior and earned all-state honors. On December 24, 2016, Ramirez committed to play college football at Arizona after having previously committed to South Alabama earlier in the month.

College career
Ramirez did not play any games for Arizona in 2017. Instead, he transferred to Riverside City College and played 12 games for the Tigers in 2018. He committed to Eastern Michigan Eagles on February 6, 2019.

At Eastern Michigan, Ramirez tallied 155 tackles, 33 being for a loss, 20.5 sacks, seven pass deflections, one fumble recovery, and five forced fumbles. He was named third-team all-Mid-American Conference (MAC) twice in 2020 and 2021. His best year came during the 2022 season where he put up 66 tackles, 19.5 going for a loss, a school-record 12 sacks, two pass deflections, one fumble recovery, and two forced fumbles. Ramirez recorded a school-record four sacks in a 45–23 victory over in-state rivals Western Michigan. For his efforts he was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year, as well as a first team all-MAC selection. Ramirez was selected to play in the East–West Shrine Bowl.

Professional career
Ramirez was selected in the sixth round (196th overall) of the 2023 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was waived on August 29, 2023 and re-signed to the practice squad. He signed a reserve/future contract on January 23, 2024.