Pittsburgh LB Shazier walks back onto field in Cincinnati

Last Dec. 4, a seriously injured Ryan Shazier was carted off the field at Cincinnati's Paul Brown Stadium.

On Sunday, he returned, but this time he walked onto the field under his own power, part of an emotional journey back to the city for the Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker.

Shazier suffered the injury last season during Pittsburgh's win over Cincinnati in Week 13. He underwent spinal stabilization surgery in the days immediately following, then spent weeks in the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Rehabilitation Institute. After his discharge on Feb. 1, he entered an outpatient therapy program.

Shazier is on the Steelers' physically unable to perform list and will not play this season, but he has continued to be a spectator at practices and games. Shazier, 26, has said he hopes to play again.

On Saturday, he visited UC Health's University of Cincinnati Medical Center to thank the medical professionals who cared for him in the aftermath of the injury. He shared a photo of the night he was taken off the field with these words on Twitter:

"It's been a long journey, but this is still a ways to go. But it all started here in Cincinnati. Today was an amazing day I was so thankful to be able to tell everyone thank you. #Shalieve"

The Steelers put an exclamation point on the weekend for him, beating the Bengals 28-21 Sunday on a 31-yard Ben Roethlisberger to Antonio Brown touchdown with 10 seconds left.