Hope of playing again drives Shazier’s rehab
PITTSBURGH — Ryan Shazier's routine hasn't changed much, even after a life-altering spinal injury put his football career in jeopardy.
The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker still arrives at the team facility around 7 a.m. He still watches copious amounts of film. He still works out regularly, often with his teammates alongside. And he still believes one day he will run out of the Heinz Field tunnel in full uniform despite the many obstacles he understands are in his path.
"My dream is to come back and play football again," Shazier said Wednesday in his first wide-ranging public remarks since undergoing spine-stabilization surgery in December. "I'm working my tail off every single day; have (playing again) in the back of my mind every single time I go to rehab."
Shazier, a former Ohio State player, walked into the media room with the help of a cane and spent 20 minutes outlining his journey since he lowered his head to hit Bengals receiver Josh Malone in the first quarter on Dec. 4. He called the moment after impact when he grabbed the small of his back while his legs lay motionless "a little scary," but he was quick to thank emergency responders in Cincinnati for their delicate work on the field in the immediate aftermath.
The spine-stabilization surgery was two days later, and since then he has been adamant he would play again while being a fixture at the team's practice facility, where he has become a de facto coach. It's a role he's embracing, but one he's not ready to accept full time.
"Just because I got hurt doesn't mean I'm going to stop loving the game of football," said Shazier, who added that despite the injury, he's going to give "everything I have" in an effort to return to playing.
Details of the exact nature of Shazier's injury and his longterm prognosis remain sparse. He declined to get into specifics about whether playing again is even medically feasible, saying his medical team has told him to focus on making incremental improvements.
"Honestly right now, I'm not a doctor," Shazier said. "Every day, I take it one day at a time. The further we get along in rehab, the better they can give me answers."
Shazier, 25, has made remarkable progress in the past six months. He spent several weeks in the hospital after
“My dream is to come back and play football again,” Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier said Wednesday in his first wide-ranging public remarks since undergoing spine-stabilization surgery in December.
surgery, although he took time out to attend several Steelers home games near the end of the season. He regularly posts updates through his socialmedia accounts and provided an indelible moment during the NFL draft in April when he walked onstage in Dallas to announce Pittsburgh's firstround selection.
The Steelers placed him on injured reserve last month, ending any chance of a comeback in 2018. The team also modified his contract so that he would receive the majority of the $8.7 million he is due this year upfront.
There is no guarantee that Shazier will be able to run again without assistance, let alone put on a pair of shoulder pads. It's something he'll live with if he has to. Yet he owes it to himself to try.
"I'm fine with whatever outcome comes with it," he said. "I try to stay as positive as possible."