Ezekiel Elliot is one of the most accomplished running backs in the NFL and is currently a free agent; the Pittsburgh Steelers have ample cap space and a need to improve their ground game after Najee Harris averaged fewer than four yards per carry over the last few years. So, naturally, Elliot showing up at Acrisure Stadium (the Steelers stadium) could only mean one thing, right? Well, not exactly. While Elliot was spotted in Pittsburgh, he was simply there for an event at the stadium benefitting the Ryan Shazier Fund for Spinal Rehabilitation.

Although Ezekiel Elliot and Shazier never played together in the NFL, their friendship dates back to their time at Ohio State, where they were teammates in 2013.

After getting released by the Dallas Cowboys on March 15th, Elliot hasn't been able to find a new home in free agency. Despite racking up 8,626 rushing yards and 80 total touchdowns with the Cowboys, the 27 year-old Elliot has clearly lost a step as he's aged; his 3.8 yards per carry last season were by far the fewest of his career and the first time he's ever dipped below 4.2 yards per carry.

Still, it's nice to see Elliot support his friend and former teammate, even if his own career hasn't gone as he intended. In December of 2017, Ryan Shazier suffered a tragic back injury during a Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals that paralyzed him from the waist down and forced him to retire. Since then, Shazier has inspiringly relearned how to walk and started a foundation that raises money and supports spinal rehabilitation efforts and research.