Pittsburgh Steelers player Ryan Shazier on Sunday walked out onto the field where his life was changed forever one year ago.

Moving with a noticeable hitch in his step, the linebacker who suffered a severe spinal injury last season, walked across the end zone before the start of the Steelers-Cincinnati Bengals game at Paul Brown Stadium.


Shazier was injured in a head-on collision with a Bengals wide receiver in December 2017, which not only ended Shazier's season, but sent him to the hospital, with doctors fearing that Shazier may never walk again.

In the last year of his rookie contract, Shazier continued through the rehab process during the off-season and walked out with assistance in April to huge cheers when he announced one of Pittsburgh's draft picks at the 2018 NFL Draft. It remains unclear whether Shazier will be able to play football after completing his recovery, but he is scheduled to become a free agent after the conclusion of the 2018 season.

Shazier visited the University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Saturday, where he was treated immediately after his injury, and gave his thanks to the doctors and nurses who helped treat him.