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Kevin Colbert states the obvious, and how Ryan Shazier won’t play in 2018

The injured linebacker won’t be suiting up in 2018, but will be a large part of the team/organization.

NFL: Green Bay Packers at Pittsburgh Steelers Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Steelers fan base has long known what Kevin Colbert said at the 2018 NFL Combine when he fielded questions from the media.

Ryan Shazier won’t be playing in 2018.

However, this was the first time someone from within the organization, or Shazier’s ‘camp’, have made the statement public.

Here is Colbert making such a declaration, per Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

Colbert talked about how Shazier is fortunate to be “taken care of” contractually with him being in his 5th year options as a first round draft pick, but also stated how although he won’t be on the field this year, doesn’t mean he won’t be a part of the team, and the organization.

Shazier has been rehabbing at the team’s facility, and also sitting in on meetings with the scouting department and preparation for the upcoming season. It wasn’t long ago when Shazier told Roosevelt Nix on his new podcast how his goal was to return to the gridiron. While those goals seem far off, the focus for Shazier wanting return will have to be the 2019-2020 season. But, as always, the hope is Shazier first returns to a regular life with full mobility in his legs, and after that the football dream can start to come to fruition.

Stay tuned to BTSC for the latest on this story, as well as others stemming from the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine.