‘Class Act’: NFL Player Stays on the Field to Pray With Opposing Team After Witnessing Terrifying Injury

Image credit: ESPN
Image credit: ESPN
By
Contributor | Pure Flix

Pittsburgh Steelers’ linebacker Ryan Shazier scared fans and fellow athletes alike when he sustained a back injury during Monday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He was promptly taken off the field and hospitalized.

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You can watch the terrifying moment below:

The harrowing ordeal obviously captured sports headlines, but there was another associated event that also sparked chatter on social media: Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton joined Steelers team members on the field to pray for Shazier.

Charisma News noted that the moment was captured on social media by a number of viewers and fans, with the outlet reporting that “Dalton knew his allegiance was to Christ first and then his team,” as the Steelers had just trumped the Bengals 23-30.

But Dalton’s focus was on praying for his injured opponent, so he bent down, grabbed hands with his peers — and prayed.

WBOY-TV reporter Lauren Talotta dubbed Dalton a “class act” and shared her own image of the moment on Twitter.

“Andy Dalton stays to pray for Ryan Shazier with the Pittsburgh Steelers after losing the game,” she wrote. “Shazier was carted off the field after sustaining a back injury during the game.”

Shazier remained hospitalized on Tuesday night, as doctors continue to assess his back injury. Additional tests are expected in the coming days, but despite the chaos and uncertainty, the player appears to be in good spirits, ESPN reported.

“Thank you for the prayers,” Shazier tweeted on Tuesday night. “Your support is uplifting to me and my family.”

(H/T: Charisma News)