You can be disappointed the Pittsburgh Steelers won Sunday night. New England Patriots fans sure are. But if you have a soul, you’ll love how they celebrated the victory.
After clinching the AFC North title with a come-from-behind, 39-38 win over the Baltimore Ravens on “Sunday Night Football,” Pittsburgh dedicated the triumph to injured linebacker Ryan Shazier, who underwent spinal stabilization surgery Wednesday and still is in the hospital following his scary back injury last weekend.
And the Steelers got Shazier involved in awesome fashion — by piping him into the Heinz Field locker room via FaceTime.
The @steelers celebrated the win with Ryan Shazier on FaceTime ❤️ #SHALIEVE (via mrsshazier/IG, @RyanShazier) https://t.co/KqSso0mT1P
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) December 11, 2017
Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger shouted out Shazier in his postgame interview with NBC — which the linebacker got to see live on-screen while surrounded by his family before joining his teammates to break down the win.
Ryan Shazier face-timed his Steelers teammates from the hospital after they beat the Ravens. ❤️
(📹: mrs.shazier50 / Instagram) pic.twitter.com/Qr4Yz9wRwQ
— SB Nation (@SBNation) December 11, 2017
It doesn’t get much cooler than that.
The Steelers also presented Shazier with the game ball after at least 15 players wore custom cleats in his honor.
Steelers who had Shazier cleats made for pregame: Vince Williams, Sean Davis, Stephon Tuitt, Cam Heyward, Arthur Moats, Tyson Alualu, Mike Hilton, T.J. Watt, Javon Hargrave, William Gay, Bud Dupree, Robert golden, Roosevelt Nix, Anthony Chickillo, and Antonio Brown pic.twitter.com/fSbMGkfnUj
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) December 11, 2017
It appears Shazier came away with some swag of his own Sunday night, too — Pittsburgh linebacker Vince Williams told reporters after the game that he and his teammates planned to pay Shazier a visit at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center to drop off an AFC North Champion hat and T-shirt.
There were plenty of ugly scenes from Week 14, but this was truly heartwarming to watch the Steelers rally around Shazier — and include him in their celebration after he worked so hard to help get them there.
Even if Shazier’s message got lost a bit in the madness.
Several Steelers confirmed the entire team FaceTimed with Ryan Shazier in the locker room after the game. “It’s something I’ll never forget,” DE Stephon Tuitt said. Nobody could make out what Shazier said since it was too loud.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) December 11, 2017
