The NFL suspended Pittsburgh 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 league said in a statement Monday.
The suspension comes after Kazee was ejected from Saturday's 30-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts after a hit on a defenseless wide receiver, Michael Pittman, who stayed down after the violent hit and was ultimately ruled out of the game with a concussion.
"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," NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan wrote to Kazee. "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."
The league also cited Kazee's past history as a factor in the suspension.
"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," Runyan wrote.
Under league rules, Kazee can appeal the suspension, which would be heard by one of two hearing officers jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA to hear such appeals.
Kazee is in his second season with the Steelers. In March, he signed a two-year deal that included a signing bonus of $1.75 million and salaries of $1.25 million in 2023 and $3 million in 2024.
Kazee, 30, was also suspended last September for three games for violating the league's substance-abuse policy.
Kazee has 16 interceptions in 92 career games (62 starts) with the Atlanta Falcons (2017-20), Dallas Cowboys (2021) and Steelers.
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