steering stuffed

I tried turning my steering wheel and it would not budge and was perhaps a bit forceful and sure as eggs is eggs something went crack and steering wheel now free wheeling. Removed the linkage arm and the engine moved freely so i tried to remove the rod from the housing but it is hitting the side of the transom. It looks to me that the only way to get the rod out of the transom assembly is the remove the whole engine from the transom to get the room to withdraw the rod. Someone tell me that is not the case. Thanks in advance.

Get out the angle grinder and cut it off at the transom.Seriously though if the rod is seized in the open position you need to lift the motor off,if it's closed you should be able to bend it enough to work it out.And this is where my first suggestion comes in,even when you get the steering cable out,the chances of getting it loosened to working again are very slim.I've just tried it on one last week,well four weeks with penetrating oil,soaking in diesel,heat and any other idea I got from friends and eventually a two ton winch before it shifted and as sure as you say "eggs are eggs" it busted.what a waste of time and WD40,DT5,Wurth rustof Crafty,propane gas etc.etc.At £60 for a new one it wasn't worth the headaches.
Just in case it, wasn't my cable.

The motor must come off !!!!-----------------Cutting the old one off does not help,as you will need the motor off to install a new cable.----------Some boats are built that way.

Regardless of whether you cut it or not keep it so it can be measured to buy the right replacement cable. You might get lucky with being able to fit a new one without removing the outboard, and you might not. I'd cut it and see if I got lucky first, then remove outboard if I had to. I got lucky.