Growing up in sunny Florida, Ryan Shazier didn’t care much for the cold. In fact, he loathed it. So why was the third-year linebacker the sole member of the Steelers to be shirtless amid 16º temperatures during pregame warm-ups at Heinz Field last weekend?
“I wanted to show people that the cold is just a state of mind,” said Shazier this week. “If I can give myself any kind of advantage, I’m going to do it.”
The aftermath inspired a variety of reactions. Shazier says he was happy his nipples didn’t get frostbite. His fiancée thought he was trying to show his body off to the world.