WASHINGTON -- Because of the unique situation involving injured linebacker Ryan Shazier, the Steelers were unsure how he would be classified by the league this season. They just knew he would not be playing football.
The league has come to a determination on how Shazier's 2018 season will be classified and informed the Steelers at the owner's meetings taking place in Atlanta this week. Shazier has been placed on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform List. He will not count against the 90-man roster the team can carry in the offseason and take to training camp.
Shazier, who suffered a severe spinal cord injury Dec. 4 in a game at Cincinnati, has been making constant progress since that injury. Last week, he walked to the podium in Dallas to announce the team's first-round draft pick, the first time he has taken steps publicly.
But Kevin Colbert confirmed at the NFL Scouting Combine at the end of February that Shazier would not be playing football this season, even though returning to the field remains a goal of the two-time Pro Bowl player.
Even so, Shazier remains an inspiration to his team and teammates and will serve in some capacity with the Steelers this season while he continues his rehab process.
“To see where he’s come from to where he is and knowing where he might be able to go, it’s beyond inspirational," Colbert said. "It’s just exciting. It’s really exciting for him.”
Despite the new designation, Shazier's contract remains on the books for the Steelers this season at a guaranteed $8.718 million.
