Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier remained hospitalized at University of Cincinnati Medical Center on Tuesday and will undergo further testing and evaluation for his spine injury, Dr. David Okonkwo (UPMC) and Dr. Joseph Cheng (UCMC) announced in a joint statement released by the team.
"Ryan Shazier continues to be hospitalized at UC Health's University of Cincinnati Medical Center and has undergone a series of tests to evaluate his spine injury," the statement read. "He will continue to be monitored and treated by the neurosurgery experts at UC Medical Center until he has been cleared to return to Pittsburgh.
"It is expected that Ryan will undergo additional testing and evaluation over the next 24 to 48 hours, and he will then return to Pittsburgh to receive further evaluation and care at UPMC."
In his first public comments since the injury, Shazier tweeted the following Tuesday afternoon:
Shazier suffered the scary injury after his head collided with Cincinnati Bengals receiver Josh Malone's thigh in the Steelers' 23-20 win Monday night. The linebacker was placed on a backboard and carted off the field.
In a statement released by the team shortly after the game, Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said the linebacker underwent a CT scan and an MRI at the hospital and noted he will not need surgery at this time.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported earlier Tuesday that Shazier has shown promising signs and has some movement in his lower extremities, according to a source informed of the player's status. As doctors have informed both Rapoport and Aditi Kinkhabwala, movement does not return all at once.
Doctors will know more about Shazier's injury once some of the injury's swelling recedes, Kinkhabwala previously reported. Steelers owner Art Rooney II, omlin and Colbert visited Shazier in the hospital after the game Monday night.
Tomlin offered no additional update on Shazier's medical status when talking to the media earlier on Tuesday.
"I'd imagine that at the appropriate time those that are responsible for his care will give you a reasonable assessment of where he is," Tomlin said. "I'd imagine that to occur as soon as later today. But from my perspective, obviously, it was a tough evening. Ryan is a trooper. Had an opportunity to spend some time with him and he's in really good spirits. Tough guy."
Tomlin added: "Ryan is a legitimate leader. He was asking about the guys, Vince [Williams] particularly. I told him about the guys, we talked about how the game unfolded and some of those things -- normal conversations. Not only is he a mentally tough guy but he's a guy who is spiritually in a great place and I know that is an asset to him and his family."