Report: Ryan Shazier slowly improving after spinal surgery

At this point, any good news is something to cling to when you are talking about Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier.

After suffering a back injury in the Week 13 game vs. the Cincinnati Bengals, Shazier spent two days in a Cincinnati hospital before being flown back to Pittsburgh to be treated at UPMC. It was there the team reported Shazier underwent spinal stabilization surgery to help repair his injured back.

Since then, there hasn’t been any official news from the organization, or UPMC, but Sunday morning ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports the linebacker is gradually improving after the surgery.

While he remains hospitalized in Pittsburgh, Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier continues to show gradual improvement from his back injury, people familiar with his condition told ESPN.

Doctors are controlling and limiting his movement as they wait for the swelling and bruising in his back to subside, sources said.

It is premature to say whether Shazier will play football again, but the focus right now is not on his playing career but on trying to facilitate his recovery.

This is just a report, and not an official release from the Steelers organization, but as stated earlier, any good news for Shazier’s health is worth noting — even if it is minimal improvement.

As Schefter stated, the future for Shazier shouldn’t revolve around football, but living a healthy, and fully functional, life. If Shazier is able to one day come back and play football, it would be a tremendous story, but the focus now is him standing, walking and being there for his family in the future.