Even for a player as naturally gifted as linebacker Ryan Shazier, the NFL is the ultimate equalizer. It’s a league full of the best of the best, the top 0.1 percent. Shazier’s “welcome to the NFL” moment came against one of those all-time greats.
“My welcome to the NFL moment is when I played against Joe Thomas in my first game of the year,” Shazier told Arthur Moats in a one-on-one interview. “They were running an outside zone play. We play a lot of good players in college. Especially in the Big Ten, you have a lot of good linemen. But they did an outside zone play and you just try to shock and shed and try to get to the edge.
“When I tried to shock and shed him, he grabbed me. I’m like, I can’t move. Bro, what is going on? He kept pushing me and kept pushing me.”
And because we’re thorough around here, we found the clip. Week One of Shazier’s rookie season in 2014, Steelers hosting the Browns. Pittsburgh raced out to a 24-3 lead (featuring Antonio Brown’s “Hurdles, kicks a man!” iconic moment). Cleveland’s first big run of the day came in the second quarter, Ben Tate ripping off a 25-yard run. He followed Joe Thomas, who pushed Shazier back to Columbus. Two clips of it, Thomas (No. 73) the left tackle.
“I literally could not get off this man. This dude is way too strong. I don’t understand what’s going on.”
The run didn’t lead to Cleveland points but sparked a running game that would dominate the second half. Down 27-3 at halftime, the Browns stormed back to finish the game with 191 yards rushing and to tie the game at 27 early in the fourth quarter. A walk-off field goal by Steelers’ kicker Shaun Suisham saved face, Pittsburgh escaping with a 30-27 victory.
Shazier finished the game with six tackles and one pass breakup. He came away learning an even bigger lesson.
“I have to do better. I have to lock in a little more. I can’t be letting people grab me like that anymore.”
Shazier would do better, becoming a star linebacker before a spinal injury ended his career. Thomas already was and would continue to be an elite left tackle elected into the Hall of Fame on his first ballot in 2023. And in that game against Shazier, he showed every bit of the best the NFL has to offer.
