Hospital provides update on Steelers' Ryan Shazier, but does not provide many details

Shalise Manza Young
·Columnist
A Pittsburgh Steelers fan holds a sign supporting Steelers’ Ryan Shazier, who suffered a spinal cord injury against the Cincinnati Bengals earlier this month. (AP)
A Pittsburgh Steelers fan holds a sign supporting Steelers’ Ryan Shazier, who suffered a spinal cord injury against the Cincinnati Bengals earlier this month. (AP)

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, which has been treating Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier since he was airlifted there eight days ago, released a brief update on his status Thursday afternoon, but it did not offer much in the way of details:

“Ryan Shazier remains hospitalized at UPMC recovering from the spinal stabilization surgery performed last week by UPMC neurosurgeons and Steelers team physicians Drs. David Okonkwo and Joseph Maroon. Mr. Shazier has started physical rehabilitation as part of his recovery process.”

A second tweet said that out of “respect to the privacy of UPMC patients, no additional information is available at this time. We will provide future updates as appropropriate.”

Shazier suffered a spinal injury during a scary play in the opening minutes of Pittsburgh’s game against AFC North rival Cincinnati on Dec. 4.

He spent the first 48 hours or so at a hospital in Cincinnati before being brought to UPMC; on the night he arrived, he underwent spinal stabilization surgery.

Dr. Anthony Alessi, a neurologist who consults with the NFL Players’ Association, told ESPN’s Michele Steele at the time that Shazier undergoing that surgery is “not good.”

“We’re not going to see him [play] again this season. He may not play football again,” Alessi said. He added that the stabilization surgery is needed when “bones around his spinal cord are dislocated. This is a more severe injury [than a contusion, as the injury was initially announced to be]. This is a much more severe situation on our hands than we thought.”

The Steelers placed Shazier on injured reserve on Tuesday.

Last Sunday, their first game without one of their leaders, several Steelers players wore custom cleats to honor their teammate, with Shazier’s name, number and face, and in some cases, “#Shalieve,” a combination of Shazier and believe.

After their comeback win over Baltimore, players FaceTimed with Shazier in his hospital room.