Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier is slowly recovering from a devastating spinal injury that left him without feeling in his legs. While this was a huge loss for the Steelers defense, far more importantly, it was a tragic injury for a human being to endure.
Shazier was injured in a Monday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He was on the ground after a hit and something was noticeably wrong with his lower body. Eventually, Shazier was transported to a hospital and has not taken the field since.
Shazier’s father, Vernon Shazier, said his son is working hard to make a comeback on the field as well. He told WPXI’s Lisa Sylvester that he now has feeling in his legs again and is working hard to get better, though he did not specify whether he is walking again or not.
“He’s making progress daily,” Vernon told WPXI in Pittsbugh. “He’s a long way from where he was on that Monday night.”
It’s a heartbreaking story, and Vernon’s words illustrate just how tough it is to deal with injuries when a loved one gets so severely hurt. He did, however, give an update on his son’s career as a football player, saying that he has faith that Ryan will take the field again some day.
“I believe when the smoke clears and all of this is over that God is going to get glory out of it,” Vernon Shazier said.
“Do you think he’ll play again?” Channel 11 asked.
“Yes, yes I do. I Shalieve. I Shalieve,” he said.
Hopefully all of this hard work results in Shazier walking again and getting back to his life. Whether that includes football again is tough to say at this point, but seeing Shazier healthy again would be a welcome sign for everyone.
