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NFL fans who saw Damar Hamlin's injury on Monday Night Football might've suffered Ryan Shazier flashbacks. After all, it's been five years since what happened at the Paycor Stadium, also during a Monday Night Football game, also involving the Cincinnati Bengals.
Like what happened to Hamlin, Shazier went from a routine tackle to an offensive opponent, but just as he fell to the ground, he realized that something was wrong. He tried to move his legs, but he couldn't. He tried to move his hands, but this time everything seemed fine.
But Shazier was desperate. He knew that something was wrong, even though everything looked normal. Just another injured player, one would say. He will be fine.
But things were worse.
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Shazier sustained a serious back injury after the tackle and was unable to move his legs. He went through the stabilization process and was taken to the hospital. He was later diagnosed with a spinal contusion that ended his NFL career.
Six months after his injury, one of the most emotional moments of the decade happened during the 2018 NFL Draft. The Steelers chose their former linebacker to announce their first-round pick to the entire world, and tears wept as he walked onto the stage, albeit with difficulty.
Although he was never able to return to the NFL, Shazier walking that day was as inspirational as it gets. He currently lives a normal life.
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After retiring from the league, the former linebacker decided to return to his alma mater Ohio State to get his college degree. He now gives motivational speeches and also holds a podcast where he shares his NFL experience.
He also married Michelle Rodriguez, his then-fiancè who walked onto the stage with him, in May 2019. He was able to dance at their wedding, and their first son was born four months before the wedding in January 2019. He also has another son from a previous relationship.
Long-term health has become a bigger concern in the NFL over the past two decades, especially as it relates to head injuries. The linebacker's scenes of trying to move his legs right after getting paralyzed were scary for everybody, but thankfully, he's able to live a normal life with his family.
We can only hope for the same thing to happen with Damar Hamlin, even if the Bills' safety never steps foot on an NFL field again.
