NFL trims Damontae Kazee suspension to 3 games, allowing return if Steelers make playoffs

Damontae Kazee’s suspension for a hit on a defenseless Indianapolis Colts player was reduced on appeal, the NFL announced, leaving the free safety eligible to play should the Pittsburgh Steelers make the playoffs.

League spokesman Michael Signora posted the news to his X (formerly Twitter) account.

Kazee was ejected from this past Saturday’s game in Indianapolis when he struck Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. Pittman left the game — a 30-13 Indianapolis win — after the second-quarter hit and did not return. He is in NFL concussion protocol and was a limited participant at Colts practice Wednesday.

Hearing officer James Thrash, jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA, has upheld the suspension of Damontae Kazee for the remainder of the regular season. Thrash also ruled that Kazee would be eligible to return to the active roster for the playoffs, should the club qualify.

— Michael Signora (@NFLfootballinfo) December 21, 2023

The NFL had announced Kazee’s season-long suspension Monday, citing Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9 (b)(1) that states a foul is warranted if a player “forcibly hits the defenseless player’s head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, forearm, or shoulder, even if the initial contact is lower than the player’s neck, and regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless player by encircling or grasping him.”

Whoa Kazee actually hit and led with his shoulder not his helmet! And Pittman walked off under his own power! #Colts #Steelers pic.twitter.com/bJIOb4expb

— Connie Carberg (@ConnieScouts) December 16, 2023

Through his agent, Ronald Turner, Kazee said he would appeal the decision. A hearing presided over by former NFL player James Thrash — jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA — was held Tuesday.

Kazee will forfeit $208,333 in salary, the prorated portion of his $1.25 million base salary, for the remainder of the regular season. Players are paid a share for playoff participation.

Coach Mike Tomlin has said about Kazee, “I know he is not a dirty player,” but acknowledged the NFL puts “100% of the onus on the defender in those circumstances.”

Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, a former college and pro safety, this week said that he “love(s) Kazee.

“But he’s got to adhere to what those rules are.”

The Steelers (7-7) have lost three consecutive games and sit 10th in the AFC playoff race. The top seven qualify for the playoffs, but the Steelers are only one game behind sixth-place Cincinnati. The Bengals play at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday.

With their other co-starters at safety (Minkah Fitzpatrick and Keanu Neal) out because of injury, the Steelers are forced to turn to a mishmash at the position Saturday. Veteran cornerback Patrick Peterson is expected to serve largely as a free safety, with recent practice-squad call-up Trenton Thompson (himself on the injury report), recently signed-to-the-practice-squad Eric Rowe, special-teams captain Miles Killebrew and still-on-injured-reserve Elijah Riley possibilities to fill in.

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