Pittsburgh Steelers Roster, Injury News 2017: Ryan Shazier Has Spinal Stabilization Surgery
Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Ryan Shazier's football career could very well be over due to an injury to his spine.
The Pro Bowler was initially diagnosed with a spinal contusion after he injured his back during the Steelers' 23–20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals last Monday, but it would seem the injury was more serious than originally thought.
On Thursday, the Steelers released a statement saying that team physicians Dr. David Okonkwo and Dr. Joseph Maroon performed a surgery to stabilize Shazier's spine on Wednesday night.
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Shortly after the announcement was made, ESPN's Michele Steele spoke with Dr. Anthony Alessi, a neurologist who consults with the National Football League (NFL) Players Association, and he didn't sound optimistic about Shazier's chances of playing again
"It's not good. We're not going to see him this season. He may not play football again," Alessi said. "This is a much more severe situation on our hands than we thought," he added.
After spending two night at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Shazier was moved to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and he hasn't left the hospital since.
"We're all praying for him. Hopefully he gets OK," said Steelers defensive end Cam Heyward said after Thursday's practice, according to ESPN. "He's getting a million text messages so I don't want to keep bothering him. He'll come around when he needs to," he continued.
"I'm not worried about him playing for us again. I'm more worried about him," defensive coordinator Keith Butler added.
The Steelers have yet to give an official update on his condition, but ESPN's Adam Schefter has reported that Shazier has continued to show "gradual improvement" in recent days, and as of the moment, the doctors are reportedly "controlling and limiting his movement" as they wait for the swelling in his back to recede.
