The Pittsburgh Steelers placed Ryan Shazier on the reserve/retired list, the NFL franchise announced on Tuesday.

Shazier has spent the last two seasons on the reserve/physically unable to perform list after suffering a severe spinal injury in December 2017.

The 27-year-old linebacker and two-time Pro Bowler, however, will remain part of the Steelers organisation.

"Ryan's placement on the Reserve/Retired List serves as a matter of protocol to ensure his continued inclusion within our organisation moving forward in his professional career," said Steelers general manager/vice-president Kevin Colbert.

"Number one, Ryan continues to be a remarkable person and just an inspiration for the whole organisation, and really for the whole community, in terms of his perseverance, overcoming what he overcame," added Steelers president Art Rooney II.

"Ryan is going to make some decisions about his future at this point. I don't want to speak for him, but I think from our side of it we would be happy to have him continue to be a part of the Steelers organisation in some capacity. We would love to be able to do that. Ryan is at the point where he's making those kinds of decisions about his future.

"He has been told by a number of people in the organization [about us wanting him to continue to be a part of us], including me."