Cameron Heyward was at Cincinnati’s Paycor Stadium five years ago when Ryan Shazier’s NFL career ended with a spinal cord injury that left the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker temporarily paralyzed.

Heyward and his teammates — a handful remain on the roster from that 2017 season — had to regroup and return to practice a few days later. Four games remained in that season. It was a less-than-ideal situation for Steelers players to resume practice and playing games knowing their close friend and “brother” was confined to a hospital bed after undergoing spinal stabilization surgery.

Heyward didn’t have flashbacks to Shazier’s injury when McKees Rocks native and former Central Catholic and Pitt star Damar Hamlin collapsed during a game Monday night in Cincinnati and had to be resuscitated after going into cardiac arrest.

“I was only concerned with Damar,” Heyward said before acknowledging, “Things have happened on that field.”

Although Hamlin doesn’t play for the Steelers, he shared the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex with their players during his time at Pitt. And he counts quarterback Kenny Pickett and safety Levi Wallace as former teammates at Pitt and Buffalo, respectively.

The Steelers resumed practice Wednesday with Hamlin and his scary injury still fresh in their minds. Just like it was five years ago with Shazier. Then, as is the case now, the Steelers got back to the business of football as they began practicing for the season finale Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.

“It’s a freak accident,” Heyward said. “There is a risk, and you never think anything of that magnitude will happen.”

Five years ago, Shazier never lost consciousness as he was taken by ambulance to UC Medical Center, the same trauma unit where Hamlin remains in critical condition. That Hamlin had to be given CPR before being transported from the stadium was jarring for players to comprehend.

“This game is scary at times,” center Mason Cole said. “It’s the nature of the game we play. Obviously, you never wish anything bad to happen. Something like that, I don’t think any of us have seen anything like that before.”

Pickett, who was a co-captain with Hamlin at Pitt in 2020, said Hamlin’s injury was discussed at a team meeting Wednesday before the team began practice.

“It’s extremely tough,” Pickett said. “When you sign up for this, you don’t ever expect that to be a possibility. Obviously, that kind of stuns you, especially when it hits close to home with Damar. You have to focus up when the time comes to be at work. When you’re done, you check in and get updates. It’s a balancing act.”

One that affects veteran players and rookies alike. Wallace spent the past four seasons with the Bills and was Hamlin’s teammate during the 2021 season when the sixth-round draft pick made the roster before becoming a key member of the secondary this season.

“It definitely messes with you a little bit,” Wallace said. “It’s different seeing that. All you can do is hope for the best for him and try to figure out why it happened and try to prevent it from ever happening again — if that is possible.”

Pickett takes comfort in knowing he has a locker room full of teammates to lean on for support. The NFL is an organization that employs more than 2,000 players each season, making it the largest “fraternity” in professional athletics.

“Football creates bonds like no other sport,” he said. “I played basketball. I played baseball. Football has something special to it. You go through so many ups and downs through it. He’s like family to me. Guys around the league are checking in on each other to make sure they’re OK, too.”

Wallace spent Tuesday — an off day for Steelers players — texting and talking to former Buffalo teammates trying to get updates on Hamlin’s condition without being too intrusive of their time. On Wednesday, it was time to get back to work.

“We still have a game this week,” Wallace said, “and my teammates need my attention to be here as well.”

And so it is that on Sunday that Steelers will take the field again — just like they have done 16 times this year in the regular season and countless other times in the players’ careers. There inevitably will be injuries in the game but probably nothing as catastrophic as what occurred Monday night in Cincinnati with Hamlin. Or five years earlier with Shazier.

“We understand the risks that come with it,” Cole said. “I think every day, every Sunday that we go out there, everybody in the back of their mind analyzes that risk. We love this game, love the life it has given a lot of us, and it’s the job we chose.

“I don’t think anybody would choose another one. I don’t think Damar would choose another one. I think he was doing exactly what he was meant to be doing.”

Heyward, the longest-tenured Steelers player, plans to take the same approach.

“Right now, I can only continue to do my job,” he said. “I think other guys are going to do that, but everyone is thinking about that kid.”

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