At this same time last year, then-rookie inside linebacker Ryan Shazier appeared to be well on his way to playing 1,000 snaps for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2014 season. Injuries suffered in the Week 3 game against the Carolina Panthers, however, forced the Ohio State product to miss seven of the team’s next nine games.
Once Shazier was given the green flag to return in Week 14, he spent the remaining four regular-season games as a situational player who rotated snaps with fellow inside linebackers Sean Spence and Vince Williams.