Ex-OSU linebacker Shazier shares his miraculous story
end Myles Garrett isn’t surprised Conklin is back.
“If there’s not something torn or completely snapped off the bone, he’s coming out here and practicing as hard as he can,” Garrett said.
Unfortunately for Conklin, he missed two other games this season with a knee injury. He has started all six games which is a good thing. We in which he has appeared. like our guys. We’re finally Blake Hance has started four getting healthy at the right games in Conklin’s absence, time of the year.” including the past three.
The Browns could use an “[Conklin is] one of the immediate boost from two best right tackles there is,” of their best players because Garrett said. “... He’s very, the team’s playoff chances very good at running the will hinge largely on what ball, running the ball toward happens in prime time at him, and he’s more than satM&T Bank Stadium. isfactory.
“Anytime you can get all “Pass blocking, I think he of our starters back and get has another step he can take, our guys going, that’s a plus,” feel like he can be a little bit Conklin said. “You get guys better, but if I got to go against back, it brings energy to the him in practice, I think I can group, too, and confidence, give him a couple cues or and I’m pumped to be back out tips. Until then, I think he’ll there and ready to get rolling. keep [sharpening] his sword
“If you can win games against some of these guys, in December and Novemagainst some of these rush- ber, then you’re going to ers, that we go against later put yourself in a good posi- down the stretch.” tion to make the playoffs. Hunt has sat out the past That’s all we can hope for five games with a right calf right now, and that’s all we injury he suffered Oct. 17 in can focus on.” a 37-14 loss to the Arizona
Conklin missed the past Cardinals. He left with 12:06 three games after suffer- remaining in the game and ing the elbow injury Oct. had to be carted from the 31 in a 15-10 loss to the Pittssideline to the locker room. burgh Steelers and leaving In six games this season, the action with 9:07 remain- Hunt has racked up 69 caring in the second quarter. ries for 361 yards (5.2 aver-
“I just went down to age) and five touchdowns brace, and I think somebody to go along with 20 catches kicked my elbow coming for 161 yards. through and it just popped The Browns haven’t had out,” Conklin said, adding Hunt and two-time Pro Bowl he believes he’ll be able to running back Nick Chubb avoid offseason surgery on play in the same game since the elbow as long as it con- Oct. 10 in a 47-42 loss to the tinues to respond well. Los Angeles Chargers.
Browns All-Pro defensive Garrett said Hunt is capa8:20 the NFL, or even make it to college football.”
Obviously, scoliosis, a curCharles Dickens described vature of the spine, did not a reformed Ebenezer Scrooge keep him from playing colas someone who “knew how lege ball. He spent three to keep Christmas well, if years at Ohio State, during any man alive possessed the which he racked up 317 tackknowledge.” The same can les and 15 sacks before declarbe said about former Ohio ing for the 2014 NFL draft. State linebacker Ryan ShazThe Steelers took him with ier and Thanksgiving — a hol- the No. 15 overall pick. iday he observes practically It’s possible, though, that every day of the year. he got an even louder round
The pinned tweet on of applause at the 2018 draft his Twitter feed is a video when he announced Pittsannouncing his retirement burgh’s first-round selection. from football accompanied His gait as he stepped to the by two simple words of text: podium was stiff. But it was “Thank You.” When asked the first time most NFL fans what he wants Ohio State had seen him walk since a fans to know about him, he simple tackle left him withsays, “I just want to say thank out feeling in his legs. you so much.” “I’m blessed to be able to
He’s even grateful for walk again,” Shazier said. “It things that most people take would have been awesome for granted, as the title of his to play football again, but soon-to-be-released book I feel like God just wanted ble of sparking not only the reflects. “Walking Miracle” me to do something bigger offense, but also the defense. comes out on Nov. 30. with my life.”
“Kareem just happens to But Shazier considered To that end, Shazier estabrun hard and like violent, so sharing his story long before lished The Ryan Shazier once he gets up, he’s always he played for the Steelers Fund for Spinal Rehabilicelebrating, he’s always real and a tackle of Bengals wide tation with the organizapassionate,” Garrett said. “You receiver Josh Malone on Dec. tion’s stated mission of givfeel that energy, regardless, 14, 2017, nearly cost him the ing “those with spinal cord on both sides [of the ball]. use of his legs. injuries and their caregiv
“When you get Nick, it’s “When I was younger, I ers the support, resources just like, ‘Damn, he did it always thought my story and funding they need to again.’ He doesn’t celebrate, was worth being in a book live independent and meanthrows the ball out. Kareem, because I grew up with some- ingful lives.” you know when he’s done thing most people don’t “I thought it was importsomething. It will be good really have, and then I went ant to give back the resources to have that little spark in through a bit of adversity that I was blessed with to there, but both are dynamos just to make it to the NFL overcome what I have overin their own right.” level,” he said. come,” said Shazier, “so I
Conklin said he experiShazier was diagnosed wanted to be able to proenced “a scary feeling” when with alopecia when he was 5 vide that for others.” he was injured, and his fam- years old. The autoimmune But to be able to accomily was concerned about him. disorder caused his hair to plish what he did, he needed
As a right tackle, Conklin fall out, and he was teased more than just the help he uses his right arm more, so by his classmates. received. He needed the right an injury to his left arm isn’t “That’s just a challenge mindset. And that’s what he the worst-case scenario. He in itself, just looking differ- wants the message of his wore a large brace on his left ent and people picking on story to be. arm this week in practice. you,” he said. “But then, I “That’s definitely some
“The way they make this had scoliosis when I was in thing I want people to get stuff now, it’s pretty comforthigh school, so there was a from this book because there able,” he said. “It’s better possibility that I would not are so many people who go than college having to wear even be able to make it to through adversity,” he said. two knee braces every game. It’s not slowing me down. It’s just there to help protect it. I think I could even play without it if I wanted to, but I want to keep it on, just to keep it safe.”
What Conklin didn’t don Friday was warm practice gear. With light snow falling during practice, Conklin and Chubb were the only Browns players who sported shorts while avoiding long sleeves under their jerseys.
“Two pretty tough guys,” Stefanski said.
“I try to wear the same thing from the first day of camp until the end of the season,” Conklin said, “and I’m from Michigan, so I’m used to this.”