Steelers News: Steelers trying to navigate through “unique situation” with Ryan Shazier

The Pittsburgh Steelers 2019 season is officially over. After finishing the year 8-8, the Steelers, and their vast fan base, has another long offseason awaiting them. Just because the games are done doesn’t mean we stop providing you with features, commentary and opinions to tide you over throughout the offseason!

Today in the black-and-gold links article we take a look at how the Steelers are going to try and navigate through the unique situation which is Ryan Shazier.

Let’s get to the news:

• Ryan Shazier still wants to play football, whether you like it or not. And the Steelers want to handle his next contract the right way.

Steelers want injured LB Ryan Shazier to return while dealing with ‘unique situation’

By: Joe Rutter, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

Ryan Shazier has not played in the NFL for two seasons as he rehabilitates from spinal stabilization surgery, and there is no indication the Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker is ready to come back to the field in 2020.

Still, the Steelers continue to support Shazier’s comeback as they try to figure out how he fits on the team’s roster.

“It’s a unique situation,” general manager Kevin Colbert said Thursday when he met with select members of the media.

Team president Art Rooney said in January that Shazier’s contract from 2019 will not toll even though he spent a second consecutive season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list.

“We’d love to have Ryan back in some capacity,” Rooney said.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Myles Garrett might be facing a defamation lawsuit from Mason Rudolph in the near future.

Mason Rudolph’s lawyer strongly hints that Myles Garrett will be sued

By: Mike Florio, ProFootballTalk

In a world filled with #fakenews and social-media rumor mongering, it’s still a no-no to tell lies about someone in a manner that harms their reputation.

For that reason, Browns defensive end Myles Garrett may end up on the wrong side of the “v” in a lawsuit filed by Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph.

Rudolph’s agents and lawyer, Timothy Younger, has published a statement on Twitter that makes clear the possibility that Rudolph will be suing Garrett for defamation of character, based on the allegation that Rudolph used a racial slur before Garrett attacked Rudolph with his own helmet.

“Mr. Garrett maliciously uses this false allegation to coax sympathy, hoping to be excused for what clearly is inexcusable behavior,” Younger writes. “Despite other players and the referee being in the immediate vicinity, there are zero corroborating witnesses — as confirmed by the NFL. Although Mr. Rudolph had hoped to move forward, it is Mr. Garrett who has decided to utter this defamatory statement — in California. He is now exposed to legal liability.”

The reference to California isn’t gratuitous or accidental. The civil courts in California are regarded as being more favorable to the rights of those who make claims, both as to the juries who resolve the cases, the trial judges who hear them, and the appeals courts that craft the applicable legal principles.

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Todd Haley is an offensive coordinator again...at a High School.

Todd Haley hired as offensive coordinator at a Sarasota high school

By: Josh Alper, ProFootballTalk

Todd Haley’s been out of the NFL since being fired as the Browns offensive coordinator in 2018, but he has landed another coaching job for the 2020 season.

Haley has agreed to become the offensive coordinator at Riverview High School in Sarasota, Florida. Haley has a home in the area and watched film with the school’s head coach Josh Smithers after being introduced by a mutual friend. That led to Smithers reaching out to Haley when the school’s previous offensive coordinator left for another job.

“We talked about the high school game being different than the pro game,” Saunders said, via the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. “And he was all fired up, just to get out there and coach football again. He understands these are high school kids who go to school all day and you get them for a couple of hours versus people who do it for a job. He told me he’s excited just to teach quarterbacks how to read coverages and receivers how to run better routes. And I think that’s where he’s going to be able to excel. His ability to understand defensive coverages and have an answer for everything.”

To read the full article, click HERE (Free)

• Social Media Madness