What’s the latest on Ryan Shazier?

Shazier is making incredible progress after a terrifying spinal injury he suffered in December against the Bengals.

Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier suffered a spinal injury in December and has been making slow progress in a quest that stretches far beyond the gridiron.

Shazier has made numerous public appearances since his injury, but his most powerful came during the 2018 NFL Draft, when he walked onto the stage with some help from his fiancee, Michelle. Shazier will not play in 2018, and though he has said that his goal is to return to the football field, it’s possible he may never be able to play again.

A timeline of Ryan Shazier’s injury and recovery

Here’s everything that happened since Shazier was injured on Dec. 4, 2017.

May 3

The Steelers are giving Shazier his entire 2018 salary upfront:

May 2

The Steelers placed Shazier on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, which means he won’t count against the team’s 90-man limit for the offseason roster.

April 26

He made a surprise appearance at the NFL Draft, when he walked for the first time in public since his injury. His fiancee, Michelle, walked with Shazier to help him to the podium. There, Shazier announced the Steelers’ first-round pick, safety Terrell Edmunds out of Virginia Tech:

After, he thanked fans for their support:

A dramatic week got even more so the next day, when a tornado hit his parents’ home, but everyone is OK.

April 14

Shazier was an honorary captain at Ohio State’s spring game. He used a wheelchair to get to the Buckeyes locker room, where he stood up to address the team before the scrimmage. Shazier also stood up to wave to the crowd at Ohio Stadium:

April 11

Shazier attended a Pittsburgh Penguins playoff game and while standing, he led the fans in a “Let’s go Pens” cheer.

Shazier attended an NCAA tournament game in Pittsburgh.

March 4

During the NFL Combine, Shazier hopped on the phone with NFL Network’s Mike Mayock and Rich Eisen.

“My end goal is to allow the Lord to let me come back and play at the high level that I was before,” Shazier said. “Every day I try to get better. I strive for the Hall of Fame and I was doing that through this year, the whole time I was playing. And I still do that while I’m doing rehab. I know it’s still a possibility. I have the Lord and he has my back and I constantly feel I’m going to come back and play football.”

Feb. 28

At the NFL Combine, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert announced that Shazier wouldn’t be playing in the 2018 season:

Feb. 20

On Feb. 20, Ryan Shazier spoke for the first time about his injury when he was a guest on his teammate Roosevelt Nix’s podcast. Shazier said that he’s making progress every day and that he plans to play football again one day.

Feb. 7

Team owner Art Rooney II confirmed that Shazier will still be heavily involved with the Steelers next season:

Feb. 6

Shazier attended a Penguins game and stood up, with some help, while fans gave him a standing ovation:

Feb. 4

ESPN’s Adam Schefter shared on Super Bowl Sunday that Shazier hasn’t just regained feeling in his legs, but he’s also regained movement and is “engaging in a regular walking routine.” But Michele Tafoya reported that Shazier wasn’t walking on his own, which Shazier then confirmed himself.

Feb. 1

Shazier posted the most encouraging sign of his recovery to that date with a picture that appeared to show him standing — albeit with support from teammate Ben Roethlisberger.

That same day, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center released a statement saying that Shazier was discharged from inpatient rehab and will transition into an outpatient program to continue his recovery.

Jan. 14

Shazier was on hand to cheer on the Steelers during their Divisional Round game against the Jaguars.

He spoke to his teammates in the locker room to encourage them, according to CBS’ broadcast.

Jan. 10

This was the first photo that confirmed Shazier was in a wheelchair. His family and the team have kept details about Shazier’s condition close to the vest to protect his privacy as he recovers.

He visited his teammates at practice for the first time before the Steelers’ divisional matchup against the Jaguars, bringing an emotional lift as the team prepared for the postseason. Cameron Heyward told NFL Network’s Aditi Kinkhabwala that Shazier said he has good days and bad days. But the days he’s able to spend around his teammates are always good days.

Jan. 4, 2018

Shazier’s father, Vernon, said that Ryan regained feeling in his legs.

“He’s much better,” the elder Shazier told Pittsburgh’s WPXI-TV, “but we’ve agreed to keep his progress private until he’s ready to share where he’s at.”

Dec. 17, 2017

Shazier made his first public appearance since the injury at the Steelers’ Week 15 game against the Patriots,. He waved a Terrible Towel to pump up the crowd:

Dec. 12

The Steelers put Shazier on injured reserve, officially ending his season.

“Unfortunately Ryan will not be able to contribute on the field during the remainder of this season,” Steelers President Art Rooney II said in a statement. “However, even off the field Ryan will continue to be one of our team leaders. We know his spirit and positive outlook will help him to continue in his recovery, as well as serve as an inspiration to our team.”

Dec. 10

Shazier celebrated the Steelers’ Week 14 win over the Ravens with his teammates from his hospital bed via FaceTime.

It was their first game after Shazier’s injury.

“We didn’t play without him. He was out here with us, and we know it,” quarterback Ben Roethsliberger said after their 39-38 dramatic win. “Buddy, we love you so much. This one was for you, bud.”

Before the game, Antonio Brown and several other teammates wore customized cleats in honor of Shazier.

Dec. 7

Shazier underwent spinal stabilization surgery, according to an announcement from the team:

“I’m not worried about him playing for us again, I’m more worried about him,” Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler said via the Post-Gazette. “Y’all have been updated as much as we have. The thing that we’re hopeful for and prayerful for is that he comes back and he’ll be OK. The football stuff is secondary. His life is a lot more important to me than football.”

Dec. 6

Shazier was transported back to Pittsburgh to stay at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center:

Dec. 5

The Steelers updated Shazier’s status throughout the day:

“I really have no update in terms of his medical status other than what was released earlier,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters. “I would imagine at the appropriate time that those who are responsible for his care will give you a reasonable assessment of where he is. I imagine that would occur as soon as later on today.”

“From my perspective, obviously it was a tough evening,” he said. “Ryan’s a trooper. I had an opportunity to spend some time with him, and he’s in good spirits.”

Dec. 4

Shazier was injured during a Monday Night Football game against the Bengals in Week 13. On Cincinnati’s first possession of the game, Shazier went to the ground clutching his back after tackling Bengals wide receiver Josh Malone. It looked like a normal, everyday kind of tackle until Shazier didn’t get up.

Shazier was immobilized on a backboard, carted off the field, and taken to a Cincinnati hospital.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin did not have an update on Shazier’s status after the game.

“This is a tough game, tough business,” Tomlin said. “5-0 (Shazier) is our brother.”

What does Ryan Shazier mean to the Steelers?

Shazier has been the Steelers’ biggest defensive playmaker since they took him in the first round of the 2014 draft.

The 25-year-old Shazier means so much more to the Steelers than that, as was seen in the way his teammates reacted immediately after his injury. They had a hard time holding back tears in the immediate aftermath and for the rest of the game.

“I don’t think Vince (Williams) stopped crying until after halftime, and that’s one of the most gangster dudes on the team,” safety Mike Mitchell said, via The MMQB’s Greg Bishop. “People had to grab him by the face mask and be like, ‘Yo, you’re the middle linebacker now. You can’t be sniffling.’”

The Steelers went on to win that game, beating the Bengals 23-20. They won four of their last five, locking up the second seed in the AFC before falling to the Jaguars in the Divisional Round.

He wasn’t on the field, but they didn’t do it without Shazier.

“When you see him, you know how much he loves football and wants to be out there for us,” linebacker Anthony Chickillo said, through the team’s website. “You just want to go hard for him. You just want to win for him.”

What’s Shazier’s prognosis?

Shazier started rehab days after undergoing surgery. He’s still very much a part of the Steelers, even if he never takes the field again.

Shazier and his family believe that he will play again.

“Yes, I do,” Vernon Shazier said. “I Shalieve.” Shazier and his family consistently use that play on Shazier’s last name and the word “believe“ when talking about his injury.

The injury was terrifying, and it’s difficult to even think about whether Shazier can or will play football in the future. What matters now is just Shazier’s continued recovery.