During the Pittsburgh Steelers’ OTAs and training camp, one familiar face was on the field assisting the coaching staff in former LB Ryan Shazier. Shazier played for the Steelers from 2014-2017 before a suffering severe spinal injury that ended his career. But Shazier has stayed around football, working as a broadcaster and analyst and now helping as a coach. During an interview with Tony Dungy for Football Night In America, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said that he thinks Shazier “has all the tools” to be a good coach.
“Ryan has a unique relationship with this game, he has a passion for it, he has a thirst for knowledge regarding the game he likes to share with others. He did that as a player. He has all the tools to be a really good coach and I’m just excited about being a part of that component of his continued relationship with the game.”
It’s cool to see Shazier still around the Steelers and continue to work in football. He was a Pro Bowler his final two seasons in the league and was well on his way to becoming one of the best linebackers in football before suffering the devastating injury. He made a remarkable recovery just being by able to walk again, and now he’s expanding and growing the knowledge he has of the game as a coach.
Shazier had worked with the running backs during OTAs, and working on both sides of the ball will help him develop and grow his knowledge to help him become a better coach. It’ll be interesting to see where Shazier ends up and if his coaching career can develop.
There’s no doubt that Tomlin is one of the better coaches for any aspiring young coach to learn from, and playing under Tomlin and then learning from his as a coach will surely help Shazier as he embarks on his coaching journey.
If Shazier winds up coaching in the NFL down the line, he’d join the likes of Larry Foote, Antwaan Randle El, Deshea Townsend and William Gay, among others as ex-Steelers who have become coaches. No matter where Shazier ends up, it’s a great redemption story and it’s great to see him continue his career in the sport.
