Ryan Shazier - Pro Football Rumors

AFC Staff Updates: Shazier, Ravens, Chiefs

June 3rd, 2024 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Patrick Queen has arrived in Pittsburgh and the Steelers are hoping that he will fill the role as a top three-down, off-ball linebacker that the defense has lacked since the medical retirement of Ryan Shazier. While Shazier can’t put on the pads and join Queen out there, the Steelers may be getting the next best thing, as Shazier has been assisting the coaching staff during the first two weeks of organized team activities, according to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic.

Shazier isn’t working with the linebackers right now, as you may rightfully assume. The former linebacker is reportedly helping out running backs coach Eddie Faulkner in OTAs. Still, Shazier will be around for Queen to pick his mind, and after seeing how much Queen’s game improved with the arrival of a leader like Roquan Smith in Baltimore, having Shazier on the sideline may be just what Queen needs as he regains an LB1 role.

Here are a few other staff updates from around the AFC, starting with a couple of departures in Queen’s old clubhouse:

The Ravens are saying goodbye to three longtime staffers from their front office this offseason. The team announced today that senior advisor to the general manager Pat Moriarty, senior player personnel executive Vincent Newsome, and senior video operations advisor Jon Dube are all transitioning out of their roles. Moriarty has been with the franchise since they were the Browns in 1994. He has long been key in the team’s management of their salary cap. Newsome, a former NFL safety, worked as a high-profile pro scouting executive, analyzing other rosters and keeping a close eye on the waiver wire. The team tabs him as being instrumental in the acquisition of such key veterans in the past as Matt Birk, Anquan Boldin, Elvis Dumervil, Steve Smith, and Eric Weddle.
Lastly, the Chiefs recently promoted Will Christopherson, per Neil Stratton of SucceedinFootball.com. Christopherson had been working as an NFS scout since joining Kansas City in 2022. He’ll now work as an area scout, patrolling the mid-Atlantic region.

Steelers’ Ryan Shazier Retires From NFL

September 9th, 2020 at 11:54am CST by Zachary Links

On Wednesday, Ryan Shazier officially announced his retirement from football. This was the expected move after the Steelers placed the beloved linebacker on the reserve/retired list in March.

Shazier was a Pro Bowl linebacker before a devastating spinal injury in 2017. Initially feared that he wouldn’t be able to walk again, Shazier battled his way back to being able to run and train, and has been an incredible source of inspiration along the way. The Ohio State product ultimately wasn’t able to return to the field, but he won’t be far from the game. The Steelers will continue to have Shazier involved as a mentor and likely as a full-fledged assistant, once the pandemic is in the past.

Shazier earned a Pro Bowl selection in his final NFL season, despite playing in only 12 games. Prior to that, he logged 55 tackles in each of the previous two seasons. Although he did not get to realize his full on-field potential, he’ll continue to serve as an inspiration for players and fans everywhere.

“When I was five years old, I made the greatest discovery of my life,” Shazier said (via Twitter). “I discovered the game that I love – the game of football. Ever since then, I’ve given my life to the game. I love everything about it…It made me money and gave me a life most people could only dream about. I’m here today to make sure the world knows how much I still love football, how grateful I am for everything football gave me. And I’m here to let the world know that today I am officially retiring from the game I love so much.”

Steelers Place Ryan Shazier On Reserve/Retired List

March 17th, 2020 at 12:09pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Steelers are shifting linebacker Ryan Shazier from the reserve/PUP list to the reserve/retired list Tuesday, the team announced in a release.

Shazier himself didn’t officially announce he’s giving up on a return to the field, but this would seem to indicate that his playing days are all but over. He spent the past two seasons on the PUP list. By keeping him on the roster the past couple of years he was able to earn a salary, which will likely end now. However, the Steelers announced in their release that this doesn’t mean Shazier won’t be sticking around.

“Ryan’s placement on the Reserve/Retired List serves as a matter of protocol to ensure his continued inclusion within our organization moving forward in his professional career,” said Steelers GM Kevin Colbert in a brief statement. Shazier has been a “fixture in the locker room” and helped mentor and develop rookie first-round linebacker Devin Bush last year, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com noted in a tweet.

Shazier, of course, was a Pro Bowl linebacker before a devastating spinal injury cut his career short during the 2017 season. Initially feared that he wouldn’t be able to walk again, Shazier battled his way back to being able to run and train, and has been an incredible source of inspiration along the way.

The Ohio State product has never given up on the idea of playing again, and it’s likely he never will. He’ll still be around the team in 2020, and it sounds like coaching could be in his future.

Extra Points: Shazier, Vikings, Staff, Cards

February 16th, 2020 at 9:50pm CST by Sam Robinson

From 2017-20, the Vikings will have featured four different play-callers. But the procession from Pat Shurmur to John DeFilippo to Kevin Stefanski to now Gary Kubiak found the former Super Bowl-winning HC a bit hesitant. Kubiak stepped way from the Broncos after the 2016 season, because of health issues, and has not called plays since. But after briefly debating the move from offensive advisor to OC, the 58-year-old assistant accepted the offer to replace Stefanski, Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune notes. Kubiak has removed himself from the head-coaching market but never ruled out returning to a play-calling role. He was nearly set to resume that responsibility with the Broncos last year, but staffing issues led him to Minnesota.

Here is the latest from around the league:

Kubiak’s latest offensive staff will see more changes this year. The Vikings are bringing in Phil Rauscher to be their new assistant offensive line coach, Goessling adds. Although Rauscher spent the past two years in Washington, he worked under Kubiak for each of his two seasons as Denver’s HC. Rauscher will replace Andrew Janocko, but the Vikings’ previous assistant O-line coach will remain on staff. Janocko will become Minnesota’s new wide receivers coach. This marks Janocko’s sixth season on Mike Zimmer‘s staff.
The Steelers have kept Ryan Shazier on their roster for each of the past two years. That may well be the plan for 2020 as well. Owner Art Rooney II confirmed (via Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) the Steelers “would love” to have Shazier back. The injured linebacker has worked as a mentor of sorts to the team’s young players the past two years. The Steelers have kept Shazier, 27, on their roster despite his inability to play; a league-minimum salary of $820K would likely come his way if the team uses the same arrangement in 2020. Shazier, whom GM Kevin Colbert confirmed has shown “significant improvement” in his workouts since the 2019 offseason, is not expected to be ready to play in 2020.
The Cardinals will add a former NFL and AAF quarterback to their staff. Mike Bercovici will join Kliff Kingsbury‘s staff as an entry-level assistant, per the Arizona Republic’s Bob McManaman. Bercovici, 27, spent time with the Cards’ practice squad in 2017. The ex-Arizona State quarterback was on Herm Edwards‘ Sun Devils staff last season.
A key CBA-related meeting will be pushed back. The NFLPA meeting where a potential vote on the owners’ CBA proposal will now occur Friday instead of Thursday, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets. The Washington D.C. summit represents a step toward a potential CBA ratification, but a few substantial hurdles remain — such as the players accepting the owners’ 17-game schedule proposal.

AFC Notes: Bowlen, Shazier, Titans

July 2nd, 2019 at 9:37pm CST by Rory Parks

The family of late Broncos owner Pat Bowlen will receive Bowlen’s Gold Jacket and Hall of Fame ring, as Mike Klis of 9News.com writes. Bowlen was elected to the Hall of Fame in February but passed away in June, making him the first HOFer to die between his election and his induction. Typically, the HOF doesn’t present the jacket and the ring to those enshrined posthumously because it doesn’t want the family to fight over the artifacts or sell them, but the production of the artifacts had already begun before Bowlen passed.

The family will display the items in the front lobby of the Broncos’ UCHealth Center headquarters so that they can be enjoyed by fans.

Now for more from the AFC:

David Furones of the South Florida Sun Sentinel explores the relationship between Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier and his high school teammate, trainer, and close friend, Jerome Howard. Howard has been with Shazier throughout his recovery and has assisted him in his efforts to get back to the playing field. The piece is well-worth a read, especially for Steelers fans, as it also details the remarkable progress that Shazier has made. A return to football is still a long way off, but he has already overcome tremendous odds just to be walking again, let alone exercising the way he is.
We heard in May that Colts WR Deon Cain was expected to be a full participant in training camp, but Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk says that Cain’s status is still unclear. However, she does hear that Cain should be ready to go at least by the regular season opener, which could a huge boon to Indianapolis’ aerial attack. Cain, a 2018 sixth-rounder, generated a lot of hype before tearing his ACL last August and is highly-regarded by the coaching staff. He is currently the fourth WR on the depth chart.
Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com believes linebacker Kamalei Correa will make the Titans‘ roster and will have an impact in 2019, but he is on the bubble and will need to fight for a spot on the club. In the same piece, Wyatt says that he does not expect Tennessee to bring back safety Johnathan Cyprien, although the team said after releasing Cyprien in March that it would like to re-sign him at a cheaper rate.
Bills RB Christian Wade was assigned to Buffalo’s roster as part of the league’s international pathway program, which means he is eligible to be the 11th man on the club’s practice squad. But as Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk writes, Wade believes he can crack the 53-man roster. That will be a tall order given that veterans LeSean McCoy, Frank Gore, and T.J. Yeldon, along with third-round rookie Devin Singletary, are ahead of him on the depth chart. But McCoy and Gore will be free agents after the season, and Yeldon could be a cap casualty by that time, so if Wade impresses, he could be a roster candidate in 2020.

Steelers Place Ryan Shazier On PUP List

April 29th, 2019 at 12:41pm CST by Zachary Links

On Monday, the Steelers officially placed Ryan Shazier on Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform List. By taking this step, the Steelers will ensure that Ryan Shazier will continue to collect his salary for the 2019 season. For cap purposes, he’ll count for $473K against the books.

Shazier has remained steadfast in his insistence that he wants to return to the field one day, but it won’t be in 2019. The Steelers, meanwhile, are doing right by the linebacker, who was lauded for his leadership and on-field abilities before a devastating injury suffered in 2017.

The former first-round pick out of Ohio State tallied 68 tackles and 11 pass defenses before he was nearly paralyzed in 2017. He also earned a Pro Bowl selection despite playing in only 12 games. Prior to that, he logged 55 tackles in each of the previous two seasons.

“We will continue to support Ryan’s efforts to return to play,” Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said in a statement earlier this offseason. “Although he won’t be able to help us on the field in 2019, his leadership, insight, and emotional support have always been very valuable to us, and we look forward to his contributions in our pursuit of a championship.”

Steelers Toll Ryan Shazier’s Contract Into 2019

March 12th, 2019 at 10:37am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

The Steelers are once again doing right by Ryan Shazier. The team is tolling his contract into 2019, with plans to eventually place him on the reserve/PUP list, according to Bob Labriola of Steelers.com.

Shazier was nearly paralyzed after making a tackle in a now infamous 2017 game against the Bengals. Since then he’s undergone several surgeries as he continues the lengthy rehabilitation process. Pittsburgh’s move today ensures that Shazier “will be paid a salary commensurate with his years of service in the NFL, he will continue to accrue seasons toward his NFL players’ pension, and his medical insurance plan will be the same coverage that all active NFL players receive,” Labriola writes.

Shazier will be paid $473K in 2019, according to Albert Breer of SI.com (Twitter link). It’s a classy move by Steelers ownership, and they’ve stuck by the linebacker every step of the way. Shazier has remained around the team in an informal coaching role, and will continue to do so.

“We will continue to support Ryan’s efforts to return to play,” Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said in a statement. “Although he won’t be able to help us on the field in 2019, his leadership, insight, and emotional support have always been very valuable to us, and we look forward to his contributions in our pursuit of a championship.”

Shazier has remained steadfast in his insistence that he wants to return to the field one day, but it won’t be in 2019. A first round pick out of Ohio State in 2014, Shazier had blossomed into a star at the time of his injury.

Antonio Brown Reiterates Trade Demand; Latest On Bell, Shazier

February 3rd, 2019 at 10:04am CST by Rory Parks

For the past few weeks, it feels like we have been getting daily reports on the Antonio Brown saga in Pittsburgh, and the last several rumors we have heard on the matter have suggested that both sides may be open to continuing their relationship.

But Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports paints quite a different picture. He says that Brown has recently reiterated his trade demands via agent Drew Rosenhaus, and that Brown has refused to return calls from club owner Art Rooney II. Meanwhile, JLC reports that Brown has told his Pittsburgh teammates that he will never play for the Steelers again.

Brown has three years and $39MM left on his current contract, and despite this falling out with the Steelers, almost every team in the league would be happy to have him. He would prefer to be dealt to the 49ers, but the Steelers reportedly have no intention of allowing Brown to pursue a trade on his own. Instead, Pittsburgh will control the process, and team brass plans to talk to potential trade partners at the scouting combine in a few weeks. The Steelers of course prefer to trade Brown to an NFC club, and they will not deal him to one of their bigger AFC rivals. They also still hope to get at least a first-round pick for him.

Meanwhile, La Canfora writes that the Steelers still plan to put the transition tag on Le’Veon Bell, who sat out the entire 2018 season. That is in keeping with what we have been hearing for months, but it obviously does not mean that Bell will be back in Pittsburgh. It will simply be the precursor to a tag-and-trade scenario, and JLC names the Jets and Eagles as potential destinations. Adam Schefter of ESPN.com confirms that the Steelers are contemplating the transition tag, and he even suggests that Bell could return to the Steelers, but that is difficult to fathom at this point.

Finally, La Canfora confirms what we have recently heard with respect to Ryan Shazier. Shazier’s rookie contract is up, and the team has indicated that it plans to re-sign him even though there is no chance he will be able to play in 2019, if ever. JLC says the two sides are working on a one-year pact, and that it will not take long for that to come to fruition.

Ryan Shazier Wants To Stay With Steelers

February 1st, 2019 at 10:44am CST by Zachary Links

Ryan Shazier wants to play football again, but he’ll technically be a free agent in March. When/if he returns to the field, he says he’d ideally like to suit up for the Steelers, as Ed Bouchette of the Post-Gazette writes.

“Really nothing has been decided,” Shazier said. “I definitely want to be with the Steelers. I was drafted here and everything’s been going great. I just love the atmosphere, I love the family aspect of it, but I also love the way they do business. So I definitely want to stay.”

Shazier was in the film room with the Steelers throughout the 2018 season and attended team meetings, even though he was on the PUP list. There’s likely a similar plan in place for 2019 – recently, team president Art Rooney II said he’s working on a way to keep Shazier in the fold on a new deal.

For now, Shazier is taking things day-by-day. He’s already regained the ability to walk, but he has a ways to go before he can resume football activities.

“I have a time frame in my head, but I haven’t really told anybody yet,” the linebacker said. “At the end of the day I’m taking it one step at a time. I’m a lot closer to my goal than I was when I got hurt.”

Steelers’ Ryan Shazier Eyeing NFL Return

January 16th, 2019 at 1:33pm CST by Zachary Links

Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier has made tremendous strides in his rehabilitation and wants to continue forward in his recovery with an eye on playing football again, owner Art Rooney says (Twitter link via Ed Bouchette of the Post-Gazette). Shazier’s contract is up, so Rooney says the team would probably have to sign him as a player in 2019 in order for him to do that.

When Shazier was carted off of the field in December 2017, doctors feared that he might never walk again. After months of grueling rehab, Shazier is now able to walk with some assistance. All along, the linebacker has been hopeful about returning to the gridiron.

“There is no ceiling in Ryan’s recovery. He aggressively approaches it every day,” Steelers GM Kevin Colbert said in March of last year. “We support him in every way possible in that endeavor. Where that leads, only he will know and he will determine further down the road. His approach, his mental approach. I can’t tell you how impressive an inspiration he is to us.”

Last May, the Steelers converted $8.26MM of the linebacker’s 2018 base salary into a signing bonus. The move had no cap implications for the Steelers, but it allowed Shazier to collect on the bulk of his pay for the 2018 season immediately rather than waiting for it in increments throughout the year. It sounds like the Steelers are prepared to do right by him once again as he continues on his inspirational journey.