West Virginia Native, Former NFL WR Ryan Switzer Undergoes Successful Shoulder Surgery

There was apparently something left for West Virginia native Ryan Switzer to fix before truly enjoying his post playing days.

Switzer announced on Twitter that he had a successful surgery on his shoulder. He then later added that this operation was needed due to a lingering injury from his NFL career.

Praise God for a successful shoulder surgery. Thank you guys for the prayers! pic.twitter.com/RkTopqYKiL

— Ryan Switzer (@Switz) October 18, 2022

The former NFL wide receiver officially retired from professional football back in July. Switzer, who is only 27-years-old, cited a series of serious injuries as a reason to decide to walk away. He had a surgery on his ankle just prior to deciding to retire.

“In light of a recent injury, I feel I’m no longer able to meet the physical demands of the game,” Switzer said in a post to social media. “I have decided to retire from the NFL. I want to thank my teammates and coaches from every level and each organization that provided me an opportunity to play,” Switzer said in a statement.

After retiring, Switzer volunteered at WVU’s football camp this past offseason.

A graduate of George Washington high school in Charleston, West Virginia, Switzer attended North Carolina, where he was a two-time All-American return specialist and a four-time All-ACC selection, as both a returner and a wide receiver. He tied an NCAA record with five punt return touchdowns as a freshman in 2013 and finished his career with 4,092 all-purpose yards and 26 total touchdowns.

Switzer was selected in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys, but after one season, was traded to the Oakland Raiders and then Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018.

He played 25 of his 41 NFL games with Pittsburgh, catching 44 passes for 280 yards and one touchdown in his time with the Steelers, working mostly as a slot receiver. He was also the Steelers’ primary returner in that time, and had 1,133 all purpose yards in 2018.