Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier retired on Wednesday morning after years of attempting to return after a spinal injury.
Nobody can ever say Ryan Shazier didn’t give it his all.
Shazier, 28, retired on Wednesday morning in an emotional and beautiful tribute to both football and the journey which lay ahead. The former Ohio State star and first-round pick has been trying to work his way back since being injured on Monday Night Football against the Cincinnati Bengals in Dec. 2017.
Unfortunately, Shazier suffered a severe spinal cord injury, leaving him on a grueling rehab path to simply regain the ability to walk normally.
Over the course of his four-year career, Shazier was one of the best linebackers in the game. The youngster started in 41 regular-season games (played 46 total) and notched 299 tackles, 25 pass defensed, seven interceptions, seven forced fumbles and seven sacks. He earned a pair of Pro Bowls nods, coming in 2016 and ’17.
Since being injured, he’s remained on the Steelers’ roster but was never made active due to his injury. Pittsburgh placed him on the reserve/retired list in March, a move which effectively signified the end of Shazier’s playing days.
During his time with Pittsburgh, Shazier was one of the rangier linebackers in the NFL. He fit the mold of the Black and Gold, a team rich with tradition at the position including Hall of Famers Jack Ham, Jack Lambert and Kevin Greene, alongside Pro Bowlers and All-Pros such as Lamarr Woodley, Joey Porter, James Farrior, Greg Lloyd, Andy Russell and others.