NFL upholds suspension for Steelers S Damontae Kazee
Kazee will miss the rest of the regular season.
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The Steelers’ safety room keeps getting thinner. Per NFL insider Adam Schefter, Steelers’ safety Damontae Kazee’s suspension was upheld today, officially ending his regular season with the team.
However, Kazee will be permitted to return to the team if they make the postseason.
Kazee was ejected from the Steelers’ Week 15 game against the Indianapolis Colts following a hit to the head and neck area of Colts’ wide receiver Michael Pittman.
As a repeat offender in terms of hits the NFL deemed fine-worthy, Kazee was handed a suspension by the league soon after.
Kazee appealed it, but the league upheld their ruling with the only reduction being the news that Kazee is eligible for the playoffs if the Steelers somehow qualify.
It’s a blow for Kazee, who will now miss out on the remainder of his game checks for the 2023 regular season. It’s unfortunate for the Steelers as well, who will now be missing a number of their top safeties entering Week 16’s matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Pittsburgh will be without Kazee, Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Keanu Neal (injured reserve), while Trenton Thompson has yet to participate in practice this week as he deals with an injury.
The Steelers take on the Bengals this Saturday at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Steelers’ Damontae Kazee gets major NFL playoffs decision amid suspension
On Monday, it was announced that the NFL had suspended Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee for the remainder of the 2023 season. So, see you next year, right? Well, not so fast, according to the latest update of this saga.
Hearing officer James Thrash has upheld Kazee’s suspension for the rest of the 2023 regular season. But Thrash is also ruling that Kazee is eligible to return to the Steelers for the postseason, should they qualify, courtesy of the NFL’s Senior Vice President of Football & International Communications Michael Signora.
Thrash’s position is jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFL Players Association.
Kazee’s suspension stems from an illegal hit he delivered on the Indianapolis Colts’ Michael Pittman Jr. in Week 15’s 30-13 Colts victory. As Pittman Jr. dove for a pass, Kazee arrive with a jarring hit to the head, immediately drawing multiple flags.
Kazee holding out hope?
In a letter to Kazee, NFL Vice President of Football Operations Joe Runyan laid out the reasoning behind the suspension. Specifically, Runyan faulted Kazee with “a forcible blow to the head/neck area of…Pittman Jr., who was in a defenseless posture.”
The letter also noted that Kazee had “an unobstructed path to your opponent and the illegal contact could have been avoided.” Kazee’s actions were categorized as “flagrant.”
Wednesday’s ruling will not have any impact on the Steelers as things stand heading into Week 16, however. The loss to the Colts knocked the Steelers out of playoff position. Pittsburgh is going to have a tough time qualifying after such a costly loss.
The Steelers currently have just a 7 percent chance to make the playoffs, per NFL.com. Even with a win on Saturday, their odds only improve to 14 percent. A loss would drop their odds to under a single percent.
