Steelers’ Ryan Shazier has feeling in his legs after spinal injury, and his father believes he will play again

Ryan Shazier has feeling in his legs, the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker’s father confirmed a month after his son suffered a serious spinal injury while playing against the Cincinnati Bengals on “Monday Night Football.”

Vernon Shazier, a Florida minister, said that wasn’t the case when he first received a call from his son soon after the injury occurred on Dec. 5.

“He said, ‘Daddy, pray for me. I can’t feel my legs,” the elder Shazier said in an emotional interview with WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh.

“And we prayed.”

According to his father, Ryan Shazier regained feeling in his legs even before having spinal stabilization surgery three days the incident. The two-time Pro Bowler watched the Steelers’ Dec. 17 home game against the New England Patriots from a suite at Heinz Field.

Vernon Shazier would not answer when asked if his son is able to walk.

“We’ve agreed to keep his progress private until he’s willing to share where he’s at,” he said.

But, he added, “he’s making progress daily. He’s a long ways from where he was on that Monday night when he was laying on that field.”

When asked if he thought his son would play again, he used a word that’s become a popular hashtag, combining “Shazier” with “believe.”

“Yes, yes I do. I Shalieve,” he said. “I Shalieve.”

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Twitter: @chewkiii