During many film sessions inside Jerry Olsavsky's position room at Rooney Sports Complex, the sound of a small compression pump can be heard between the talk of blocking schemes and missed assignments.
The noise comes from large NormaTec compression boots on the legs of Ryan Shazier — a routine the linebacker has taken to help his legs recover from the rigors of the Steelers' season. Shazier, a fourth-year inside linebacker who turned 25 in September, could strap them on for 20 minutes in the trainer's room, but he wants to maximize every minute of the day.
In his opinion, any time not spent working out, studying film or on the practice field is a detriment to his goal of one day being enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. That standard — one born well before he was drafted in the first round in 2014 — has been the foundation for Shazier's breakthrough in 2017, yet he remains far from satisfied.
"I have a really high standard of myself," Shazier told DKPittsburghSports.com Tuesday at Rooney Sports Complex. "I want to be the best. I want to make the Hall of Fame. If you don’t critique yourself and hold yourself to that standard, you’re not going to make it."
Often masked behind Shazier's self-deprecation is a sense of relief. He's finally healthy after playing in just 34 games in his first three seasons in the NFL. Shazier is the quarterback of one of the league's top defenses and leads the Steelers with 64 tackles, 50 of which are solo, midway through the season.
He's emerged as one of the league's top inside linebackers, leading the position in passes defended and interceptions. So yeah, he's still enjoying himself quite a bit.
Shazier didn't care about the opinions of draft analysts and critics, specifically that his 6-foot-1, 229-pound frame might not hold up to the grind of a professional season.
What bothered him was not being able to show his teammates — the 52-plus men surrounding him at Rooney Sports Complex every week — he was capable of so much more.
Upon being drafted in the first round out of Ohio State, Shazier played in only nine games as a rookie because of MCL and ankle sprains. He was limited to 12 regular-season games in 2015 because of another ankle sprain. Shazier then missed three games last season because of a right knee injury, although he played the final 12 games, including the playoffs, and was selected to his first Pro Bowl.
"I knew I had the ability to do this from day one," he said. "To be able to stay healthy and to show the world, show my teammates I could be here for them, just keep playing and it really means a lot."
So, what led to a rebound after two "frustrating" seasons? Well, it began with a new regimen during every game week. First, Shazier wakes up at 4:30 a.m. for a workout before arriving at Rooney Sports Complex at approximately 6 a.m. to watch film with Mike Mitchell.
It is in a dark room at the facility that Shazier began to firmly grasp how to make pre-snap adjustments, specifically the ability to read an entire offense within seconds of the quarterback approaching the line of scrimmage.
That led to Shazier's development as the quarterback of the Steelers' defense, which ranks third in the NFL in sacks and second in passing yards allowed per game. Yet, for as critical Olsavsky, who is in his second season as the team's inside linebackers coach, is of Shazier at times, he said what's occurred through eight games this season is no surprise to him.
"I never thought he was too small; I never thought all the nevers, ‘Oh, he’s not this, he’s not that,’" Olsavsky said. "I don’t believe in that. ... He’s putting a great Sunday product out there, but it’s because he takes care of himself, he works out, he’s done all those little things and then I can look and I'm not surprised at anything because I see the work he does. ... That’s what happens when a guy wants to be the best player."
Yet, the almost obsessive approach can be detrimental at times. Olsavsky urges Shazier to use those early-morning film studies to supplement his otherworldly talents. Over-analyzing can disrupt a player's instincts and Shazier's are among the best in the football.
That, however, has not been Shazier's weakness this season. Although he is cautiously pleased with how he's played, Shazier is irked by a few missed tackles and dropped interceptions. He also shoulders responsibility for the Steelers' run defense, which ranks 16th in the NFL and has twice allowed more than 200 yards in a game.
That self-criticism is exactly what Olsavsky, Keith Butler and Mike Tomlin want to hear. It comes with the responsibility of being somewhat of a coach on the field. His pre-snap adjustments can quickly get the defense into the right play after a quarterback makes a change at the line of scrimmage.
None of that is instinctual, Olsavasky said. The leap of the Steelers' defense and Shazier began with his decision to spend more time watching film, even if it meant him strapping on compression boots.
"His instincts are way better than they were my rookie year," Bud Dupree said. "He knows what plays he wants to call right away. There’s never a hesitation. He's the quarterback of our defense. It all goes through him. ... He’s the catalyst to everything."
His improvement on the field can be measured, but evaluating the other part of his job is far more difficult. Everything on the field comes naturally to him — chasing down a running back, dropping back into coverage. However, becoming an actual leader is a difficult process, Shazier admitted.
The coaching staff — particularly Tomlin — urged Shazier to become more of a vocal presence in the locker room and on the field after Lawrence Timmons left in free agency. Shazier talks a lot. Too much, he admitted.
But that's far different than speaking up at times when teammates need a lift. He said he's done so occasionally, but he wants to emphasize quality over quantity until he earns his place in a locker room dotted with veterans. Shazier has regular talks with both Tomlin and Ben Roethlisberger about what it takes to lead.
Their advice: lead by example first. So, Shazier is doing that by wearing what Olsavsky calls "moon boots" during meetings, spending extra time watching film and holding himself to a "Hall of Fame" standard.
"It's a process," he said. "It doesn’t happen overnight. The more I play and the more I work, the guys will respect me more. I'm capable of so much more."