The Pittsburgh Steelers have a reputation as one of the classiest organizations in the league. It’s a well-earned reputation based on decades of doing awesome things like what they just did for injured linebacker Ryan Shazier.

According to ESPN’s Field Yates, the Steelers have converted $8.26 million of Shazier's $8.71 million salary for the 2018 season into a signing bonus, which means that he will get all off that money right away.

The Steelers have converted $8.26M of LB Ryan Shazier’s 2018 base salary into a signing bonus, per source. Shazier, placed on PUP Wednesday, earns that money now. While there are no cap implications, it’s a great gesture by a first rate organization.

While Shazier’s situation is an unfortunate one, the Steelers had no obligation to do what they did. As a rule, NFL franchises usually aren’t so ready to give up millions of dollars unless they really have to. It’s still a business, after all, and teams often don’t have much hesitation to release players following serious injuries, much less hand out any sort of compensation.

But that’s what the Steelers chose to do anyway. While Shazier maintains his desire to continue his career someday following his serious spinal injury, there’s a chance that may never happen. But Pittsburgh decided to help take care of one of their own with some life-changing money just in case his playing days truly are done.

Football can often by a cynical and violent sport, which Shazier, unfortunately, knows all too well. But the Steelers’ gesture shows that there is still some good that can come of the sport amid all the bad that seems to go with it.