Steeler LB Ryan Shazier has spinal surgery

[Ring 6]

He may even want to consider sitting out next year just to be safe. Or I suppose he could retire.

I think there is very little chance he ever plays football again.

 

[Viper652]

I hope he can lead a normal life

 

[letekro]

Awful. Hopeful he can return next year. Tremendous player

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Pray for Aslan's blessings

 

[Kdo5]

Wishing for him to fully recover. Terrible to see that kind of thing happen. I hope that he never plays football again (even if possible), for his own well being.

 

[patfanken]

Just saw a clip of the tackle that injured Shazier, and I can't help but notice that it looks like he makes contact with the bengal player with the TOP of his head. It makes me cringe because you would think that on the professional level players would have been coached for many years NEVER to hit with the top of your head.

First, whenever you hit with your neck in that position there is a distinct possibility that your will injure your neck or spine. If you hit with the top of your head, you won't necessarily hurt yourself every time, but you will eventually, and sooner rather than later. Second it's illegal and a 15 yd penalty. But when was the last time you saw a spearing call.

This is what we coached almost 40 years ago when athlete were smaller and slower. It pains me to see that some still aren't getting the message. When you hit with the front of the helmet or facemask, your neck is in its STRONGEST position to protect against neck and spine injuries and the forehead is the strongest bone we have in our bodies.

We can eliminate most of the kinds on neck injuries like the one Shazier had simply with better coaching. Even back inn the stone age when I coached, if I saw a player hit with his head down or with the top of a helmet, he would be pulled from the game as sat down for at least the rest of that series. If it happened at practices laps were involved. You'd be surprised how quickly most of this types of hits would be eliminated, and this is on the HS level. They could do it even faster when its dollars and not just laps that its costing you on the professional level.

Ironically good tackling is not soft tackling. In fact when your head and neck are in the proper position, you can hit even harder. If the NFL wants to make the game safer, they should heavily fine players (for their own protection) who hit with their the top of their heads. They should also fine players who just throw their bodies at the legs of players leading with their heads down. Not only does it lead to bad tackling, it again, puts the head it a horrible position and subject to injury.

They simply need to coach the sport better. (rant over)

 

[drewskie]

Just saw a clip of the tackle that injured Shazier, and I can't help but notice that it looks like he makes contact with the bengal player with the TOP of his head. It makes me cringe because you would think that on the professional level players would have been coached for many years NEVER to hit with the top of your head.

First, whenever you hit with your neck in that position there is a distinct possibility that your will injure your neck or spine. If you hit with the top of your head, you won't necessarily hurt yourself every time, but you will eventually, and sooner rather than later. Second it's illegal and a 15 yd penalty. But when was the last time you saw a spearing call.

This is what we coached almost 40 years ago when athlete were smaller and slower. It pains me to see that some still aren't getting the message. When you hit with the front of the helmet or facemask, your neck is in its STRONGEST position to protect against neck and spine injuries and the forehead is the strongest bone we have in our bodies.

We can eliminate most of the kinds on neck injuries like the one Shazier had simply with better coaching. Even back inn the stone age when I coached, if I saw a player hit with his head down or with the top of a helmet, he would be pulled from the game as sat down for at least the rest of that series. If it happened at practices laps were involved. You'd be surprised how quickly most of this types of hits would be eliminated, and this is on the HS level. They could do it even faster when its dollars and not just laps that its costing you on the professional level.

Ironically good tackling is not soft tackling. In fact when your head and neck are in the proper position, you can hit even harder. If the NFL wants to make the game safer, they should heavily fine players (for their own protection) who hit with their the top of their heads. They should also fine players who just throw their bodies at the legs of players leading with their heads down. Not only does it lead to bad tackling, it again, puts the head it a horrible position and subject to injury.

They simply need to coach the sport better. (rant over)

That's the first thing I saw too, the improper technique leading with the top of the head.

 

[Ring 6]

Just saw a clip of the tackle that injured Shazier, and I can't help but notice that it looks like he makes contact with the bengal player with the TOP of his head. It makes me cringe because you would think that on the professional level players would have been coached for many years NEVER to hit with the top of your head.

First, whenever you hit with your neck in that position there is a distinct possibility that your will injure your neck or spine. If you hit with the top of your head, you won't necessarily hurt yourself every time, but you will eventually, and sooner rather than later. Second it's illegal and a 15 yd penalty. But when was the last time you saw a spearing call.

This is what we coached almost 40 years ago when athlete were smaller and slower. It pains me to see that some still aren't getting the message. When you hit with the front of the helmet or facemask, your neck is in its STRONGEST position to protect against neck and spine injuries and the forehead is the strongest bone we have in our bodies.

We can eliminate most of the kinds on neck injuries like the one Shazier had simply with better coaching. Even back inn the stone age when I coached, if I saw a player hit with his head down or with the top of a helmet, he would be pulled from the game as sat down for at least the rest of that series. If it happened at practices laps were involved. You'd be surprised how quickly most of this types of hits would be eliminated, and this is on the HS level. They could do it even faster when its dollars and not just laps that its costing you on the professional level.

Ironically good tackling is not soft tackling. In fact when your head and neck are in the proper position, you can hit even harder. If the NFL wants to make the game safer, they should heavily fine players (for their own protection) who hit with their the top of their heads. They should also fine players who just throw their bodies at the legs of players leading with their heads down. Not only does it lead to bad tackling, it again, puts the head it a horrible position and subject to injury.

They simply need to coach the sport better. (rant over)

They fine, penalize, suspend far too much already let’s not add to it.
Remember these guys are hitting stationary tackling dummies. It’s great to coach proper technique but most of the time circumstances (speed of the game, being out of position, runner trying to avoid the tackle, etc) make a textbook tackle impossible.

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

I think there is very little chance he ever plays football again.

Yeah, I read the part about spinal fusion and recall reading that procedure is often a career ender. I googled an article about Gronk's surgeries and found the comment in reference to the difference vs. the microdiscectomies Gronk had.

Regards,
Chris

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think there is very little chance he ever plays football again.

Based on the last 3 players who had a spinal contusion he'll most likely retire

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Hope he recovers (though with actual tackling form he probably doesn't get injured), but F the Squealers and their yinzer fans.

 

[Seacoast Fan]

This is why I hate players lining up to hit others by leading with the crown of their helmet acting as a spear. It is dangerous to everyone involved, from who is doing the hitting to who is on the receiving end. Belichick certainly coaches up our guys to make textbook tackles. Otherwise you get Shazier or TJ Ward situations.

I went to a Cincinnati Bengals fan forum after that game where shazier got injured. Virtually to a person, they were all sorry to see it happen but not surprised. They said he’s a dirty player and leads with this helmet all the time, looking to spear. They said he was only one of a number of Pittsburgh players who do that.

 

[Love The Drake]

Tomlin seems like a dirty coach

 

[Simpelton]

Awful news. The dark side of the NFL. I hope that he makes a full recovery, for life purposes if not for football purposes. The funny (ironic) thing is, with all the Gronk and JuJu stuff going on this week, the play where he was hurt didn't look like anything bad. Just a move the wrong way...

And that is why what Gronk did made me so mad. This stuff happens enough from bad accidents on legal plays, we don't also need athletes doing stupid crap that makes an NFL player's career even riskier

 

[BobDigital]

I think it sounds fairly hopeful he will walk again. As for anything else we will need to wait and see.

 

[everlong]

I wish him and his family nothing but the best. I hope he's made good financial decisions that will allow him to walk away if there's any risk to his long term health.

 

[Ring 6]

Based on the last 3 players who had a spinal contusion he'll most likely retire

Question may be how many other players retire because of his injury. That is becoming a real phenomena.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Question may be how many other players retire because of his injury. That is becoming a real phenomena.

I wonder if Don Blackmon and Michael Irvin retired because they had experienced spinal contusions?

 

[Ring 6]

I wonder if Don Blackmon and Michael Irvin retired because they had experienced spinal contusions?

Don’t remember.

 

[patchick]

I wish him and his family nothing but the best. I hope he's made good financial decisions that will allow him to walk away if there's any risk to his long term health.

Agreed -- Shazier was a 1st-round pick, so fortunately his guaranteed money should be enough to take care of him. BUT...a player that talented, on his rookie contract, surely expected to see a huge FA deal in his near future. It would be all too easy for a young guy to think "that'll be the money I'll be careful with."

Best wishes to him for a full recovery.