Ryan Shazier returns to Paul Brown Stadium nearly one year after suffering spinal injury

When Ryan Shazier left Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati, more than 300 days ago, doctors thought he would never walk again.

The Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker was carted off the field on Dec. 4, after suffering a spinal injury against the Bengals. He was transported to a local hospital, and eventually moved back to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where he underwent spinal stabilization surgery. The 26-year-old was paralyzed for weeks.

On Sunday, ahead of the Steelers’ game against the Bengals, Shazier walked back onto that field.

He also visited the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, the hospital that initially treated him after the gruesome injury, on Saturday, where he thanked the doctors who helped him.

“There were so many white jackets. It was crazy,” Shazier said. “I was just there and there were so many people around me. I am just truly thankful to everybody.”

The hospital loved the visit, too.

“We’re so grateful that you came by today, Ryan,” officials from the hospital said on Twitter. “It is our pleasure and privilege to serve all of our patients — and nothing makes us happier than to see your success!”

Shazier’s future in football remains uncertain, though he said earlier this year that his rehab has been “going so great.” He still had trouble walking, but has come a long way from where he was initially after the injury.

“My dream is to come back and play football again,” Shazier said in June. “I’ve been working my tail off every single day, so I have that in the back of my mind every single time I go to rehab, and I just try to stay positive every single day.”

There’s no timetable as to when he might return, though it will not be this season. The Steelers, though, already converted his 2018 salary into a bonus, so that he is still able to get the money despite not playing.

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