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The Pittsburgh Steelers had to make a move, and fans who pay close attention to the 53-man roster knew this move was coming.
On Tuesday, the Steelers announced they have placed Ryan Shazier on injured reserve, ending his 2017 season.
The #Steelers placed Ryan Shazier on Injured Reserve this morning, a result of the spinal injury he suffered against the #Bengals on Dec. 4.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 12, 2017
A statement from Art Rooney II:
Art Rooney II statement: “Unfortunately, Ryan will not be able to continue on the field during the remainder of the season. However, even off the field, Ryan will continue to be one of the team leaders."
— Joe Rutter (@tribjoerutter) December 12, 2017
The #Steelers placed Ryan Shazier on Injured Reserve this morning, a result of the spinal injury he suffered against the #Bengals on Dec. 4.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 12, 2017
Some might wonder why the Steelers didn’t place Shazier on IR sooner, but they didn’t have to last week with JuJu Smith-Schuster being on the suspended list. With Smith-Schuster returning, and Sean Spence added to the lineup, the team had to trim their roster, and Shazier was the obvious choice.
While this move was expected, it doesn’t dull the reality of Shazier’s unknown future, not just with the game of football, but with life. News is scarce on the current status of the injured linebacker, but there are plenty of people who are rooting, thinking and praying for Shazier to make a full recovery so he can enjoy life to its fullest.
Stay tuned to BTSC for the latest on this story, and others, surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the New England Patriots in Week 15.