Steelers Place LB Ryan Shazier on Retired List

Steelers have placed linebacker Ryan Shazier on the retired list, the team announced on Tuesday, thought they expect Shazier to continue remain a part of the organization.

Shazier, 27, has not played since a Dec. 4, 2017 spinal injury suffered while playing against the Cincinnati Bengals. He spent the 2018 and 2019 seasons on the physically unable to perform lists.

“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,” Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said in a press release.

Shazier has stayed close with the team throughout his rehabilitation from his injury and served as a mentor to first-round draft pick Devin Bush last season.

While on the PUP list, Shazier counted $473,000 against the team’s salary cap in 2019. That number would have risen in 2020 with the increase in minimum contracts in the new CBA. He will no longer count against the team’s salary cap on the retired list.

Shazier has maintained that he hopes to play agains some day, though he has also enrolled in classes at the University of Pittsburgh to complete his degree.