Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier has officially hanged his cleats and announced his retirement from the NFL. The former Ohio State Buckeye sustained a life-threatening spinal contusion injury back in December of 2017 after taking a head-on tackle in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The 28-year old player looked back on his journey and shared the news to the public via a video posted on Twitter:
A few days after being sidelined, Shazier underwent spinal stabilization surgery to secure the injured section of his spine which abruptly ended his 2017 campaign. Despite not being able to play the entirety of the season, he was still named to the second Pro Bowl appearance of his career.
The Steelers eventually placed Shazier on the reserve/PUP list which also ended his 2018 season. He was able to take strides towards recovery as he jogged for the first time since his spinal stabilization surgery in November of 2018.
On April 29, 2019, the Steelers placed Shazier on the reserve/PUP list, ending his 2019 season. Almost a year later, the team decided to place him on the reserve/retired list on March 17, 2020, effectively ending his four-year active playing career.
He concluded his career with a total tally of 299 tackles, 7.0 sacks, and seven forced fumbles through 46 games played for the Steelers. His post-football career will begin with a stint on The Ringer to which he will serve as a host for its Tuesday NFL show, as per Andrew Marchand of the New York Post on Twitter.
Despite not being able to make a successful comeback on the field, Ryan Shazier was able to serve as an inspiration for many and definitely made his mark in the league as a Pittsburgh Steeler.