Ryan Shazier injury

shazier played the game the same way polomalu played. going full speed and leading with the crown of the helmet (human torpedo). for troy the side effect of that style of play was a shit load of concussions.
my high school football coach always coached us to keep our heads up and use your shoulder not your helmet. when someone missed a tackle by doing the human torpedo he always yelled, keep your eyes on the target ! i don't know if he was teaching from a place of concern or safety , but the lesson stuck. shazier led the team in missed tackles last year and was leading this year . how these guys manage to make it all the way to the pro's and still not have basic football techniques drilled into their heads is beyond me.

Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

how these guys manage to make it all the way to the pro's and still not have basic football techniques drilled into their heads is beyond me.

Honestly it's because of their ability to impact a game. At the high school level, Shazier and Polamalu were probably considered 5 star recruits. Sure their tackling form was ugly, but do you think the coach is going to pull them out of the game when they're a huge reason why you're winning a state championship? Then onto college level, same thing. These guys are considered to be top 15 picks despite their ugly tackling. Sure you can bench them, but you lose that production that you get from them, and no college coach who's getting paid a handsome salary will ever do that. Heck, would you bench Shazier for Matakevich, who has perfect tackling form but can't come close to impacting a game the way Shazier does?

I think a huge thing is since these players are such exceptional playmakers for their teams, they're not ever called out on poor tackling technique.

Fire Arians wrote:

Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

how these guys manage to make it all the way to the pro's and still not have basic football techniques drilled into their heads is beyond me.

Honestly it's because of their ability to impact a game. At the high school level, Shazier and Polamalu were probably considered 5 star recruits. Sure their tackling form was ugly, but do you think the coach is going to pull them out of the game when they're a huge reason why you're winning a state championship? Then onto college level, same thing. These guys are considered to be top 15 picks despite their ugly tackling. Sure you can bench them, but you lose that production that you get from them, and no college coach who's getting paid a handsome salary will ever do that. Heck, would you bench Shazier for Matakevich, who has perfect tackling form but can't come close to impacting a game the way Shazier does?

I think a huge thing is since these players are such exceptional playmakers for their teams, they're not ever called out on poor tackling technique.

Polumalu and Shazier are fast and they make themselves like missles. Matakevich is slow by comparison and positioning yourself to wrap someone up even takes a split second longer. Still I would prefer these guys tackle the right way for good reasons, but it’s just less effective even if it is safer.

Haven't seen any updates at all from anyone.

Shazier's father is still on Twitter asking for prayers.

Hate that for him. Forget football. He may never walk. Just praying he will.

jak341 wrote:

Haven't seen any updates at all from anyone.

Shazier's father is still on Twitter asking for prayers.

In my far from expert opinion, they're probably in a wait and see period now. Either that, or no one is saying anything out of respect for the family. If it's the latter, that concerns me. You'd think they'd want to share good news. So I hope my first assumption is the correct one.

Finally, a little positive news ...

Shazier gradually improving after spinal surgery

While he remains hospitalized in Pittsburgh, Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier continues to show gradual improvement from his back injury, people familiar with his condition told ESPN.

Doctors are controlling and limiting his movement as they wait for the swelling and bruising in his back to subside, sources said.

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/21723311/ryan-shazier-pittsburgh-steelers-showing-gradual-improvement-back-injury

Duke Johnson of the Browns touchdown celebration was kneeling down, praying, and standing up showing a 5 0 with his hands.

https://twitter.com/KDPomp/status/939936011982987265

jak341 wrote:

Duke Johnson of the Browns touchdown celebration was kneeling down, praying, and standing up showing a 5 0 with his hands.

https://twitter.com/KDPomp/status/939936011982987265

Crap. I was just getting ready to post a joke about the Browns trying to ruin their perfect season, and you had to go and post this.

Classy gesture by Johnson. Earlier in the week, the Ravens had a team prayer for Shazier before practice. Why are these teams/players trying to make me not hate them?

Wallace108 wrote:

jak341 wrote:

Duke Johnson of the Browns touchdown celebration was kneeling down, praying, and standing up showing a 5 0 with his hands.

https://twitter.com/KDPomp/status/939936011982987265

Crap. I was just getting ready to post a joke about the Browns trying to ruin their perfect season, and you had to go and post this.

Classy gesture by Johnson. Earlier in the week, the Ravens had a team prayer for Shazier before practice. Why are these teams/players trying to make me not hate them?

I was thinking the same thing. I have to root for them now.

jak341 wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

jak341 wrote:

Duke Johnson of the Browns touchdown celebration was kneeling down, praying, and standing up showing a 5 0 with his hands.

https://twitter.com/KDPomp/status/939936011982987265

Crap. I was just getting ready to post a joke about the Browns trying to ruin their perfect season, and you had to go and post this.

Classy gesture by Johnson. Earlier in the week, the Ravens had a team prayer for Shazier before practice. Why are these teams/players trying to make me not hate them?

I was thinking the same thing. I have to root for them now.

Lets not get carried away.

The Browns look like they are going to Brown this game away.

That's my new verb. To Brown. An example:

Starbucks browned up my coffee. They had one job to do and they browned it up.

I really really hope and believe since he's young that he can fully (or at least almost fully) recover and live a normal life. I don't expect him to play again, but as hard as that is it's secondary. I see him as a smart guy so I think he will have a succesful life after his career anyway. I'm glad that we already had picked up his 5th year option for 8.7M guaranteed for injury. I'm also sure that if he can't continue his football career the Steelers will offer him a job within the organisation if he wants that.

Certainly not unexpected, but now it's official  ...

Steelers put Ryan Shazier on injured reserve https://t.co/dX7xsA4AwZ pic.twitter.com/oMIW3yw4OP

— TNF on NBC (@SNFonNBC) December 12, 2017

jak341 wrote:

The Browns look like they are going to Brown this game away.

That's my new verb. To Brown. An example:

Starbucks browned up my coffee. They had one job to do and they browned it up.

I dunno partially doesn't sound right, cause usually when I hear Brown I think Antonio Brown

Stella Nation wrote:

I really really hope and believe since he's young that he can fully (or at least almost fully) recover and live a normal life. I don't expect him to play again, but as hard as that is it's secondary. I see him as a smart guy so I think he will have a succesful life after his career anyway. I'm glad that we already had picked up his 5th year option for 8.7M guaranteed for injury. I'm also sure that if he can't continue his football career the Steelers will offer him a job within the organisation if he wants that.

it's good that ryan will be financially secure , but won't that 8.7 be a cap hit for next year ? they still got a few guys that need signed.

leveon bell  UFA
Chris hubbard  UFA
rosie nix  RFA
anthony chickillo  RFA
chris boswell  RFA
jordan berry  RFA
BJ finney  ERFA

there's more such as eli rodgers , these are just the guys i think are important to be signed.

this looks to me to be a horrible year to draft ILB.  most of them are in the 225-230 lb range. too small for a 3-4 ILB.  so i figured they may need to look at free agents. personally i thought vince williams needed to be replaced even before ryans injury .

don't know what navarro bowman (30) has left , but he's on a 1 year deal with the raiders. they should be blowing his phone up the day free agency hits.

Mike Tomlin: Ryan Shazier still wants to game-plan from his hospital bed

Ryan Shazier's season officially ended on Tuesday when the Steelers placed him on injured reserve with a brutal back injury that required spinal stabilization surgery. But that won't stop Shazier from helping his team win football games this season.

On Tuesday, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin revealed that whenever he goes to visit Shazier in the hospital, all Shazier wants to do is talk about the Steelers.
"I go see him and he wants to talk about the game plan," he said, per ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. "He wants to talk about how the guys are doing. He wants to talk specifically about what's transpiring in practice settings and so forth. That's Ryan."

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/steelers-mike-tomlin-ryan-shazier-still-wants-to-game-plan-from-his-hospital-bed/

^Doesn't sound like a guy who thinks his career is done.

Master_Of_Puppets wrote:

Stella Nation wrote:

I really really hope and believe since he's young that he can fully (or at least almost fully) recover and live a normal life. I don't expect him to play again, but as hard as that is it's secondary. I see him as a smart guy so I think he will have a succesful life after his career anyway. I'm glad that we already had picked up his 5th year option for 8.7M guaranteed for injury. I'm also sure that if he can't continue his football career the Steelers will offer him a job within the organisation if he wants that.

it's good that ryan will be financially secure , but won't that 8.7 be a cap hit for next year ? they still got a few guys that need signed.

leveon bell  UFA
Chris hubbard  UFA
rosie nix  RFA
anthony chickillo  RFA
chris boswell  RFA
jordan berry  RFA
BJ finney  ERFA

there's more such as eli rodgers , these are just the guys i think are important to be signed.

this looks to me to be a horrible year to draft ILB.  most of them are in the 225-230 lb range. too small for a 3-4 ILB.  so i figured they may need to look at free agents. personally i thought vince williams needed to be replaced even before ryans injury .

don't know what navarro bowman (30) has left , but he's on a 1 year deal with the raiders.  they should be blowing his phone up the day free agency hits.

The 8.7 will indeed count against the cap.

It will be extremely difficult to replace Shazier. He's an all-around player: good against the run, excellent in pass coverage, smart, fast and physical. He's the QB of our defense. While elite, he's still somewhat underrated as he should have been considered as a candidate for DPOY. He was that good this year.

^^^ nickel man defense with Watt, Dupree, and Williams running blitz stunts with the d-line.

Shazier has begun physical therapy at UPMC.

http://m.steelers.com/news/article-4/Statement-on-Shazier-Dec-14/df2e8599-d0ff-4faf-a0cf-8c2b7d62cdc9

jak341 wrote:

Shazier has begun physical therapy at UPMC.

http://m.steelers.com/news/article-4/Statement-on-Shazier-Dec-14/df2e8599-d0ff-4faf-a0cf-8c2b7d62cdc9

I don't mean to sound insenitive, but I don't understand why they're giving just basic updates with no information about his condition. Physical therapy can mean a wide range of things.

Wallace108 wrote:

jak341 wrote:

Shazier has begun physical therapy at UPMC.

http://m.steelers.com/news/article-4/Statement-on-Shazier-Dec-14/df2e8599-d0ff-4faf-a0cf-8c2b7d62cdc9

I don't mean to sound insenitive, but I don't understand why they're giving just basic updates with no information about his condition. Physical therapy can mean a wide range of things.

My assumption is there is nerve damage. They don't know exactly how much, and how much will come back yet.

jak341 wrote:

Wallace108 wrote:

jak341 wrote:

Shazier has begun physical therapy at UPMC.

http://m.steelers.com/news/article-4/Statement-on-Shazier-Dec-14/df2e8599-d0ff-4faf-a0cf-8c2b7d62cdc9

I don't mean to sound insenitive, but I don't understand why they're giving just basic updates with no information about his condition. Physical therapy can mean a wide range of things.

My assumption is there is nerve damage. They don't know exactly how much, and how much will come back yet.

There's definitely nerve damage, which is why they did the stabilization surgery. It sounds like he bruised his spinal cord. That could mean a lot of different things from a damage perspective.

I have a little knowledge on this subject, but don't take this as an expert opinion. My experience comes from 2 situations. 10 years ago a friend of mine had a collision during a hockey game and ended up temporarily paralyzed from the neck down. He regained functions of his limbs but suffered burning sensations in both hands. Since he was a single guy at the time and did not have family nearby, he asked me to go to his spinal specialist consultation the following day. His MRI revealed a serious bruise to his spinal cord in his neck (a layperson could tell it was a bruise by looking at the photo). His stabilization surgery consisted of the removal of 2 discs, boring of the vertebrae spinal canal to open that hole further, and fusion of 3 vertebrae using titanium rods and screws. 10 years later and he still has the burning in his hands, however, the stabilization surgery minimizes the risk of permanent paralysis if he ever had another accident involving a shot to the neck or head. He drinks a lot.

After 2 major car accidents involving rear end collisions that totaled both cars I was driving, I have a ruptured disc in my neck. Fortunately, I didn't bruise or sever my spinal cord. However, the ruptured disc is impinging upon a nerve root that basically supports my left shoulder, arm, hand. Tons of physical therapy allowed me to put stabilization surgery off into the future (some day the knife is coming). That surgery will resemble my friend's surgery: removal of the ruptured disc and fusion of 2 vertebrae using titanium rods and screws (I won't need the spinal canal bored as I'm lucky to have enough room in there already).

For Shazier, I'm guessing he either had vertebra or a disc that was encroaching or physically pushing against his spinal cord. Not knowing exactly what his issue is, makes it impossible to guess on the specifics of his surgery. It could range from inserting titanium rods along his vertebrae in order to straighten his spine and pull everything away from the spinal cord. Or it could involve the surgeries I've detailed above which would include the removal of damaged discs, possibly boring of the vertebrae spinal canal, and fusion of some number of vertebrae.

One thing I did learn is that you can lose use of your limbs without severing your spinal cord. A severe bruise can cause paralysis. My guess is that Shazier will never play football again. The question is, will his spinal cord heal to where he is able to lead a somewhat normal life. He has 2 things going for him: 1) He's young; 2) He is a workout beast and that mentality in his physical training will help him as much as anything. It's not that he has to be a beast like he was in the weight room, but a beast in that he will stick with the hours of PT and not quit (which a lot of people do). Prayers go out to the guy!

Kirkland, man I've missed your analysis. And not just on football. You've been missed old friend.