In Week 13 of the 2017 NFL season, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ top young inside linebacker, Ryan Shazier, suffered a serious injury that altered the course of the team.
It was immediately apparent that the injury was significant when it occurred, and the outcome of the remainder of the game became irrelevant. Everyone wanted to know how Shazier was doing and was worried about him.
Shazier had to relearn how to walk after suffering a spinal contusion and spinal cord injury that ruined his playing career.
Shazier was quickly ascending to the position of NFL linebacker of excellence. His agility was outstanding, and he possessed a full range of talents, including the ability to play the run and cover.
On Monday Night Football, Shazier sustained his horrific injury against the Cincinnati Bengals. With more tackles in a season already than he had ever had in his career, Shazier was enjoying himself immensely.
Recently, Shazier shared a story about how he wasn’t even scheduled to be participating in the game where he got wounded in an interview with The Athlete Spine, a medical podcast.
“Actually, I wasn’t scheduled to play in that game because I hurt my ankle against the Green Bay Packers the week before on the very last or second-to-last play.
I hurt my ankle after getting into a pile after we had already won the game. I didn’t practice at all for that entire week—not even one rep. I made the choice to play without practicing at all because Coach Tomlin, the staff, and I all thought I could handle it.”
The Steelers defeated the Green Bay Packers 31-28 in their game the week before they faced the Bengals. Shazier ended up hurting his ankle near the end of the game because he had to play to the very end to prevent the Packers from winning because the game was tight.
Though there’s probably no connection between the ankle and spinal injuries, Shazier’s inability to practice all week undoubtedly hindered his ability to get ready for Cincinnati.
The following week, the Steelers hosted their fiercest foe, the Baltimore Ravens, at home. Everyone in the NFL community sent prayers and well wishes to Pittsburgh and Shazier during the week before the game.
Although the extent of the injury was unknown at the time, everyone knew it was serious. The Steelers defeated Baltimore by a score of 39-38 to complete the season sweep in the game honoring Shazier.
Shazier was headed for his best season ever, but in Week 12, his entire world fell apart. Despite this, Shazier was still selected for the Pro Bowl, earning him two invites to the Pro Bowl during his career. He was also rated as the 47th best
Shazier’s career is ended, but Pittsburgh kept him on the roster through the 2019 campaign. He declared his retirement in writing prior to the 2020 NFL season.
He continues to be a prominent presence in Pittsburgh sports, as seen by his yearly attendance at training camp and his frequent appearances on Steelers-related podcasts.
Since Shazier’s final game in 2017, Pittsburgh has had trouble finding a replacement for him on the field. In the 2019 NFL Draft, they made a bid for Devin Bush, who has since moved around the league after his rookie contract expired and he was not re-signed.
The Steelers have added a ton of veterans to their roster, but with Patrick Queen, Elandon Roberts, and Cole Holcomb, they appear to have finally found a solution at the position.
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