PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh Steelers player Ryan Shazier is announcing his retirement from the National Football League.
Shazier was seriously hurt during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017.
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Through surgery and physical therapy, he was able to walk again after being temporarily paralyzed.
“I’m officially retiring from the game I love so much," Shazier said on Twitter Wednesday. “Football gave me everything I could ever want and more.”
Shazier stayed on the team’s Injured Reserve list for the rest of that season, as well as the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 seasons. He also helped with coaching.
Head coach Mike Tomlin and linebacker Vince Williams also surprised Shazier with some well wishes. Shazier said it almost made him cry.
Shazier said he is focused on the future, completely at peace with his decision.
“I’m just truly excited about the future, I’m excited about retirement,” Shazier said. “It’s a little bit bittersweet because at the end of the day, I never expected it to end so soon. I didn’t think I would be saying I was retiring at 28 years old. But at the end of the day, you know, God has a plan for us and I’m excited about what’s next.”
So, what is next for Shazier? He told Channel 11 he will be spending even more time with his family.
Shazier is also going to be a part of The Ringer’s podcast on Spotify every Tuesday, talking about what is going on in the NFL.
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