INDIANAPOLIS — Kevin Colbert confirmed what most unfortunately expected: Ryan Shazier won't be returning for the 2018 season.
The Steelers' general manager said Shazier, who suffered a spinal injury last December, will "still be with the team officially and unofficially," but Pittsburgh is preparing for football without its playmaking inside linebacker this season.
Shazier, 25, reportedly regained feeling in his legs in early January after undergoing spinal stabilization surgery on Dec. 4 following a tackle attempt vs. the Bengals that required him to be carted off the field on a backboard in Week 13.
The Steelers last spring picked up Shazier's fifth-year 2018 option, which is guaranteed for injury, so he'll earn approximagely $8.