The Pittsburgh Steelers gained some clarity on injured linebacker Ryan Shazier’s contract situation and announced Tuesday that his salary will be tolled for the 2019 season.
While he continues his recovery from a spinal cord injury, Shazier will remain on the roster for the upcoming season and will be placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list.
By having his contract tolled, Shazier will receive a salary “commensurate with his years of service in the NFL,” according to a story posted on the team’s website. It allows Shazier to accrue another year toward his NFL pension, and he will receive the same medical coverage as active players.
The NFL minimum salary for a player with Shazier’s service time is $805,000. But for a player who spends the season on injured reserve, that amount is reduced to $437,000 or the equivalent of 10 game checks.
Injured in a December 2017 game in Cincinnati, Shazier sat out the 2018 season and general manager Kevin Colbert announced in February that Shazier will not play in 2019 as he continues his comeback.
