Ryan Shazier's career as a football player might be over, but his opportunity to continue to be a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers organization is not.
The Steelers announced Tuesday that they have placed Shazier on the reserve/retired list, which means he will no longer be under contract with the team as a player, but Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said in a statement Tuesday that Shazier will continue to have opportunities within the organization.
"Ryan's placement on the Reserve/Retired List serves as a matter of protocol to ensure his continued inclusion within our organization moving forward in his professional career," Colbert said.
Shazier, a former Ohio State linebacker, has been unable to play football since he suffered a spinal injury during a Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals in December 2017. He has continued to maintain an active presence within the organization, though, attending games and practices and serving as an inspiration to his Steelers teammates as he has recovered from his injury.
The Steelers paid Shazier his entire salary in 2018 and tolled his contract into 2019 to allow him to remain with the team, but he was set to become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday.
Shazier, who has not yet said he is retiring, has maintained over the past two years that he still hopes to make a return to the football field. At this point, Shazier is still recovering from his injury, but he is now able to walk without assistance. Should Shazier be able to return to the field, Tuesday's move ensures that the Steelers would have the first opportunity to sign him to a contract.
Before his injury, Shazier was one of the best linebackers in the NFL, earning Pro Bowl honors in both 2016 and 2017, his third and fourth seasons in the league after an All-American career at Ohio State.
