Steelers call up Ryan Shazier to celebrate win over Ravens

Lorenzo Reyes | USA TODAY

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PITTSBURGH — When it was over, as all of the Pittsburgh Steelers huddled in the locker room wearing T-shirts and hats with the words “AFC NORTH CHAMPIONS” printed on them, the team FaceTimed one player who couldn’t be there.

After Pittsburgh beat the Baltimore Ravens 39-38 to win the division, coach Mike Tomlin had one of his players pull out their phones and call up linebacker Ryan Shazier, who remains hospitalized after he underwent spinal stabilization surgery earlier in the week.

“We gave that guy the game ball because we know that his heart is in it,” defensive end Cam Heyward said. “He deserves it.”

Linebacker Vince Williams was told that visiting hours at the hospital were over.

It didn’t matter.

Said Williams: “We are going to give him the hat and T-shirt tonight.”

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Shazier, who watched the game from his hospital bed, posted a video to his official Instagram account, @shazier, to celebrate the division title.

“We got a W today,” Shazier said during the video. “It got scary, but hey, we know how to pull it out, baby. Here we go, Steelers.”

Shazier’s fiancée, Michelle, shared a video on her Instagram account, @mrs.shazier50, that showed the moment when the team FaceTimed him. In the video, Tomlin breaks down the team in the huddle in his honor.

“One, two, three, Shay,” the entire team said during the video.

The NFL gave Pittsburgh players clearance to wear cleats in their game against the Baltimore Ravens with various messages and images in honor and support Shazier.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, receiver Antonio Brown, linebacker T.J. Watt and defensive ends Heyward and Stephon Tuitt were among the more than 20 players who wore cleats in Shazier’s honor.

“He wants to know what’s going on in the locker room,” defensive end Stephon Tuitt told USA TODAY Sports. “He wants to know what’s going on in your life. He wants to feel as if he’s here. And that’s our job right now – make him feel as if he’s here.”

Roethlisberger, whose black cleats have Shazier’s jersey No. 50 on them with the hashtag that has become popular to honor their teammate, #Shalieve.

“It was really tough,” Roethlisberger said of balancing focus on football with concern for Shazier. “I went and saw Shay on Thursday after practice and it was like a weight was lifted off my back. I told the guys about it on Friday when I went in, and guys just started to visit him. Everyone has felt the same way. When you walk in and see him and see the smile and give him a hug, it really has taken that weight off and let us breathe a little easier.

“We love our brother and we wanted to get this one for him. I’m glad we did.”

During pregame warmups, various Steelers staffers and players wore black shirts with yellow circles on the front and center of them, with Shazier’s number on them.

After the entire Steelers team emerged from the locker room before the coin toss, Heyward and linebacker Bud Dupree held up Shazier’s jersey, drawing a massive roar from the crowd. Heyward then walked over and placed the jersey on the bench, where it remained for the entire game.

The most apt tribute, however, might have been the one by veteran linebacker James Harrison. With temperatures dipping into the low 30s, Harrison took the field about an hour and a half before kickoff with no shirt on.

Shazier had become known for doing the same, especially on particularly cold nights.

The team has not commented on Shazier’s future availability.

Follow Lorenzo Reyes on Twitter @LorenzoGReyes.

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