Pittsburg Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier attended practice for the first time Wednesday since a spinal injury on December 4 during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Although he credits God with the progress he’s made following the accident, you’d never know it by reading mainstream media reports.

Instagram Post

Shazier posted a picture on Instagram of himself at the Steelers indoor practice facility yesterday. His post read:

I want to thank the Lord for the first downs that he has been allowing me to achieve. The touchdown is going to come in his timing, but today was a first down. I was finally able to make it to practice with my teammates. It’s great to be back for practices and meetings. Just to be able to feel a part of it means the world. So I’m working harder than I ever have to get back. Ive been making strides over the past month and continue to make progress. Taking it day-by-day, but I’m far from done. The Lord has not finished his work yet. I want to say thank you to the fans and Steelers Nation for the prayers. If it wasn’t for my family, friends and your prayers I wouldn’t be were (sic) I am now. They have lifted me and my family through this journey and I ask for you to continue praying for me, as I continue to work daily on improving my health. #Shalieve#Steelers#prayfor50

I want to thank the Lord for the first downs that he has been allowing me to achieve. The touchdown is going to come in his timing, but today was a first down. I was finally able to make it to practice with my teammates. It’s great to be back for practices and meetings. Just to be able to feel a part of it means the world. So I’m working harder than I ever have to get back. Ive been making strides over the past month and continue to make progress. Taking it day-by-day, but I’m far from done. The Lord has not finished his work yet. I want to say thank you to the fans and Steelers Nation for the prayers. If it wasn’t for my family, friends and your prayers I wouldn’t be were I am now. They have lifted me and my family through this journey and I ask for you to continue praying for me, as I continue to work daily on improving my health. #Shalieve#Steelers#prayfor50

A post shared by Ryan Shazier (@shazier) on Jan 10, 2018 at 11:13am PST

Shazier had spinal stabilization surgery on December 7 and has recently regained feeling in his legs. 

Passionate Pleas for Prayer

Shazier’s father, Vernon Shazier, is a chaplain with the NFL. He has been asking for prayer on Twitter through many posts. Regardless, the mainstream media deleted parts of Shazier’s Instagram post and ignored his father’s passionate pleas on Twitter. 

While The Washington Post printed Shazier’s Instagram post, they deleted all references to God in their reporting.

The Washington Post mutilated Shazier’s quote and reported that Shazier “promised that the ‘touchdown is going to come.'” In fact, Shazier said, “I want to thank the Lord for the first downs that he has been allowing me to achieve. The touchdown is going to come in his timing, but today was a first down.”

WaPo also deleted Shazier’s sentence, “The Lord has not finished His work yet.” They further chose not to print Shazier’s references to the Lord in the beginning of the tweet.

According to CBN, The Associated Press also deleted references to God or the Lord in its reporting.