The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have released American defensive lineman Jose Ramirez to pursue an opportunity in the NFL.
The 26-year-old signed with the team in September and played in three regular-season games, recording four defensive tackles and one sack.
The six-foot-two, 252-pound edge rusher was originally a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He saw action in four games over two seasons with the club but was released as part of final roster cuts ahead of the 2025 season.
The native of Lake Alfred, Fla. began his collegiate career at the University of Arizona in 2017, before a junior college stop at Riverside City College.
Ramirez returned to the Division I ranks in 2019 with Eastern Michigan University where he registered 156 total tackles, 34 tackles for loss, 20.5 sacks, seven passes defended, six forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery over three seasons. He was named the Mid-American Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 and sits second all-time in program history for sacks.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats finished first in the East Division standings in 2025 with an 11-7 record, though the team lost the East Final to the Montreal Alouettes. Bo Levi Mitchell led the CFL with 5,296 passing yards, 36 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions after starting all 18 regular-season games, earning the East Division’s nomination for Most Outstanding Player.
The Tiger-Cats ranked third in net offence, eighth in net defence, and first with a turnover differential of plus-ten. The club’s leading rusher was Greg Bell with 1,038 yards, leading receiver was Kenny Lawler with 1,443 yards, and leading tackler was Stavros Katsantonis with 69 tackles. Hamilton ranked fourth in attendance with average crowds of 22,858, which was a 3.9 percent increase from the previous year.
