One of the Pittsburgh Steelers best moves throughout the 2010s was drafting Ryan Shazier with the 15th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. He would go on to be a two-time Pro-Bowler, and he was one of the best linebackers in the league during his playing career. As most NFL fans know, Shazier's NFL stint was cut short when he suffered a spinal injury during the 2017 season. Shazier had to learn to walk again and he was never able to play another snap of football.
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Steelers former linebacker, Ryan Shazier sprinting at then-Heinz Field during a professional football game.
Looking back on the 2014 NFL Draft, Shazier was the perfect pick for Pittsburgh, even with his career being cut short due to injury. However, ahead of that draft, there were members of the Steelers organization that did not want the team to draft Shazier.
Vince Williams was coming off his rookie season in 2013 where he got a decent amount of playing time due to an injury to the starter in Larry Foote. Shazier recently appeared on The Money Down Podcast, where he was asked what it was like being drafted to Pittsburgh.
"It was kind of dope because the Steelers told me they weren't drafting me. The linebackers coach, on my visit, said 'Ryan you're a great player, but I'm going to be honest with you, I don't know why you're here. We have another linebacker.', because Vince [Williams] was there as a rookie and Larry Foote got hurt and he took Larry's job. The defense wasn't bad or nothing like that, he thought Vince was going to be the guy, but when it came to ownership, Coach Tomlin, and the GM, they felt like they needed more splash at the position."
In 2013, the Steelers were led by Lawrence Timmons and Foote at inside linebacker, and Williams took over for Foote once he got injured. The linebackers coach at the time, Keith Butler, thought the team would be moving forward with Williams and Timmons at the helm after Foote left following the 2013 season. Instead, Mike Tomlin wanted Shazier in the first round and he would start alongside Timmons immediately, with Williams being each player's backup.
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Ryan Shazier of the Pittsburgh Steelers looks on during the game against the Baltimore Ravens at Heinz Field on October 6, 2019 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Butler, and anyone else in the organization who originally doubted the pick, were quickly proven wrong. Shazier made the Pro Bowl in 2016 and 2017, despite suffering his horrific injury 12 games into the 2017 season. He was having his best season yet, with 89 total tackles and three interceptions through 12 games. In 2016, he also had three interceptions along with 87 tackles, nine passes defensed and three and a half sacks.
Shazier's recovery from his injury was inspiring to many. He shocked the world when he walked across the stage at the 2018 NFL Draft to announce the Steelers selection of Terrell Edmunds in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He did this just five months after initially suffering the injury.
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Steelers' Ryan Shazier announces the selection of Terrell Edmunds at the 2018 NFL Draft
Steelers And Ryan Shazier Still Have A Strong Relationship To This Day
Shazier still appeared on the Steelers roster up through the 2019 NFL season. He spent the 2018 and 2019 NFL seasons on the physically unable to perform list before officially retiring shortly before the start of the 2020 season. Since Shazier's retirement he has been very busy. He started his own product line with a cannabis company, Shazier has said he wanted there to be an alternative to opioids which is what inspired him to start this business venture. Shazier has also written a book about his journey back from injury.
Shazier is still close with the Steelers, every season he makes an appearance in Latrobe for the team's training camp, and is typically seen at a couple games throughout the season. Despite going through a horrible injury that ruined his playing career, Shazier has still made the most of his life and remains close with Pittsburgh.
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