Pittsburgh Steelers: Ryan Shazier has turned tragedy into inspiration

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier has turned a horrible incident on the field into a source of inspiration for himself and the city of Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier has come a very long way. It was a Thursday night in the Steel City as the Pittsburgh Penguins needed a big win in their series against the Washington Capitals. During a television timeout, the cameras cut to Shazier (a regular at hockey games in the city) where he proceeded to stand under his own power, waving his rally towel and rocking PPG Paints arena.

It was a strong night for the team on ice, as the Penguins came away with a 3-1 victory to tie their series up. However, the city drew a bigger victory after the final horn sounded: Shazier has come such a long way since that faithful night in Cincinnati.

Shazier has become somewhat of a superhero to the city of Pittsburgh, as it’s not too far of a stretch to think Superman reads comic books of his recovery. From laying motionless on the field during Monday Night Football to regaining the strength to stand on his own five months later, Shazier continues to display the same work ethic to his rehab as he did to his craft on the football field.

The crazy thing is, Ryan fully intends on working his way back on the field. Steelers general manager has already ruled out the possibility of Shazier returning in 2018, but has left the door open for a possible return should Shazier be able to fully recover from his spinal injury. A comeback would be amazing for any player given such scenarios, yet Shazier has his sights set on something much larger than a football field: A spot in Canton, OH:

"“My end goal is to allow the Lord to let me come back and play at the high level that I was before,” Shazier said to NFL.com. “Every day I try to get better. I strive for the Hall of Fame and I was doing that through this year, the whole time I was playing. And I still do that while I’m doing rehab. I know it’s still a possibility. I have the Lord and he has my back and I constantly feel I’m going to come back and play football.”"

The “never give up” spirit of Shazier has worked its way into those who surround him, and even those such as yours truly who simply cover the team. It’s hard not to like a guy who doesn’t quit, and it’s tough to beat a guy who doesn’t give up.

As much as Shazier’s recovery has meant not only to him but the team and city, the rest of the league has shared the same love towards Shazier as his recovery continues. This was set on display on one of the league’s biggest stages at the NFL Draft. When the Steelers were ready to make their first round pick official, commissioner Roger Goodell walked to the podium to deliver a special surprise.

The linebacker has had quite the off-season, which also featured him as guest on the sideline of Ohio State’s spring game, where he played his college football before being selected in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Perhaps the most inspired of all were the Steelers front office, who decided to turn his remaining salary into a signing bonus, essentially gifting all of his remaining money immediately.

Shazier has certainly seen the ups and downs of an NFL career, but make no mistake, all eyes are set on strapping up the shoulder pads again. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Shazier has been clocking many hours at the team facility breaking down film with scouts and routinely working out in the weight room. 2018 might not be the year Shazier steps back on the field for the Steelers, yet he still will hold some sort of role with the team.

There’s an overwhelming feeling that Shazier will see his dreams come to realization in some sort of fashion. Whether he should play if he is able to is a topic of discussion for a different day, as now is reserved for seeing the remarkable comeback for Shazier.

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So please, continue to sit back and draw inspiration from a remarkable man who is trying to gain everything that was once taken from him on a football field. Allow us as humans to stare in awe at every post on social media as Shazier inches himself closer and closer to his goal. Not all superheroes wear capes, some just wear number 50 for the Steelers.