Steelers Defender Suspended for Brutal Hit on Colts Superstar
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The Indianapolis Colts ran over the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-13 to secure the seventh seed in the AFC playoff picture through Week 15. However, they did so without both of their best offensive playmakers to finish the game, as RB Zack Moss (arm) and WR Michael Pittman Jr. (concussion) would exit the contest with injuries and not return.
While Moss has a desire to work through his injury and take the field against the Atlanta Falcons, Pittman’s hit from Steelers safety Damontae Kazee was brutal enough to warrant an NFL suspension for the rest of the season, including playoff games.
NFL insider Tom Pelissero posted on X: “The NFL is suspending #Steelers safety Damontae Kazee without pay for the remainder of the regular season and any potential postseason games for repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players.”
The suspension was handed down by NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan, who wrote a letter to Kazee explaining the suspension. In the letter to Kazee, Runyan wrote the following:
With 8:49 remaining in the 2nd quarter, you were involved in a play that the League considers a serious violation of the playing rules. The video of the play shows that you delivered a forcible blow to the head/neck area of Colts’ receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who was in a defenseless posture. You had an unobstructed path to your opponent and the illegal contact could have been avoided. Your actions were flagrant, and as a result, you were disqualified from the game.”
Runyan also noted that Kazee has had multiple prior violations of rules designed to protect the health and safety of players:
“When players violate the rules intended to protect player safety on a repeated basis, and particularly when the violations carry with them a significant risk of injury to an opposing player, it is appropriate to impose substantially greater penalties.”
Kazee is a seven-year pro who has stops with the Falcons (2017-2020), Dallas Cowboys (2021), and the Steelers (2022-present). While he’s been a solid veteran, he’s also been known to be a cheap-shot artist.
This suspension could have happened even without past violations due to the severity and danger factor, but those issues in previous seasons played into this ruling. The position that Pittman was in also didn’t help Kazee’s case.
The Athletic’s James Boyd posted on X: "ICYMI: Here’s the hit from #Steelers S Damontae Kazee on #Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr. that ended both players’ day in an eventual Indianapolis win Saturday.
Pittman is in concussion protocol.
Kazee, who can appeal his suspension, is done for the season.”
The NFL is using Kazee as an example that it’s not messing around with the safety of its players, especially when they’re in defenseless positions.
With just three games remaining and playoff hopes very much alive for the Colts, they’ll hope for Pittman to make a speedy recovery and pass all protocols to return to Shane Steichen’s offense. Pittman is as tough as they come, and he’ll push to get back quickly with the Falcons around the corner.
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