Ex-Steelers Star LB Shares How a Steelers Jersey Helped Him Walk Again

Pittsburgh, PA – June 28, 2025

A former Steelers star linebacker has opened up about the moment everything changed—revealing how a team jersey became the one symbol that kept him moving forward. Though he’s no longer chasing down running backs, his story remains one of the most powerful in NFL history.

The story surfaced during an emotional conversation on The Comeback Podcast, where a former linebacker recalled the darkest night of his life—the moment he lay in a hospital bed, unable to feel his legs. He didn’t ask for painkillers or a game replay. He asked for his black-and-gold jersey. “I looked at that jersey and told myself—I’m still me. I’m still a Steeler,” he said.

That linebacker is Ryan Shazier, Pittsburgh’s 2014 first-round pick who quickly emerged as one of the NFL’s most dynamic defenders. But in December 2017, during a Monday Night Football game against the Bengals, a routine tackle turned catastrophic. Shazier suffered a spinal contusion that left him temporarily paralyzed. Doctors warned he might never walk again.

In the difficult months that followed, Shazier began a grueling rehabilitation process. With a customized Steelers jersey—gifted and signed by teammates with messages of strength—framed beside his hospital bed, he found a daily reminder of identity and purpose. That jersey became more than fabric. It became a declaration: the fight wasn’t over.

"It wasn’t just about walking again. It was about proving that the Steeler spirit inside me wasn’t broken,” Shazier later shared in his memoir Walking Miracle.

By April 2018, Shazier stunned the football world when he walked across the stage to announce Pittsburgh’s first-round draft pick, igniting tears and cheers nationwide. Though he would never return to the field, he had already redefined what it meant to come back.

Now 32, Shazier is a motivational speaker, author, and advocate for spinal injury awareness. He remains a beloved figure in the Steelers community, attending games, mentoring young players, and carrying the black-and-gold spirit with every step.

CBS Sports once called his recovery “the greatest comeback never played,” while The Athletic hailed his story as “a living symbol of Steelers grit.”

As a new NFL season approaches, Ryan Shazier’s legacy continues to inspire. His body may have faltered—but thanks to strength, spirit, and one iconic jersey—his story still walks proudly through Pittsburgh.

Follow ESPN for updates on this unforgettable journey.