Why did the NFL suspend Pittsburgh Steelers’ safety Damontae Kazee indefinitely and why does Tom Brady disagree?

In the wake of a brutal shutout loss at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts, it appears as though the list of troubles that the Pittsburgh Steelers face just keeps getting longer. At this point it’s not about whether their player can learn a lesson, it’s about whether it will even matter as their season could be over by the time he does.

NFL suspends Damontae Kazee for rest of season

At a glance, reports indicate that the NFL is taking illegal hits seriously. Indeed, Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee has been suspended by the league indefinitely after his helmet-to-helmet hit on Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. during the Steelers’ 30-13 Week 15 loss on the road. In keeping with the league’s announcement, Kazee will not play another in the 2023 regular season, nor will he be illegible for any possible playoff games should the Steelers (7-7) make them. In a letter to Kazee, NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan had the following to say:

“With 8:49 remaining in the second 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. 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.”

What exactly did Damontae Kazee do?

It was during the second quarter of Saturday’s game, when Kazee bestowed a vicious tackle on the Colts’ pass catcher, effectively flying into his head/neck area as the Colts’ player was diving for the ball. Video replays of the moment clearly show that Kazee’s hit Pittman crossed a line as the latter attempted to come down with the ball. The 26-year-old was subsequently taken out of the game with a concussion.

Is the NFL’s suspension of Damontae Kazee too harsh?

Whether it is or isn’t doesn’t negate the fact that in keeping with the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement, Kazee can still appeal the decision. As per his agent, that’s the intention:

“I want to bring light to the situation of defensive players who are in a position feeling like they have to make plays to keep their job, but also not having any intent to injure,” Ron Butler said. “This is the most I’ve dealt with fines since I’ve been an agent. I understand they’re trying to clean up the game, but at this point it’s a bit extreme. As for the notion of Kazee receiving a harsher punishment for being a ‘repeat violator’ you have to remember most of his fines that were assessed this season got rescinded after appeal. So we have to be careful about that classification and narrative.”

On the other hand, video of the incident does not work in his favor i.e., the league’s stance appears to be fair. In his seventh season in the NFL, Kazee has been a solid contributor for the Steelers since arriving two campaigns ago. The 30-year-old has got two interceptions this season and looked to be building a rhythm despite the team’s woes. Ultimately, none of that matters now, as he won’t be taking the field again until next season.

Tom Brady weighs in on Damontae Kazee situation

Never one to shy away from a debate about the state of the game, seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady let us know how he really felt in a comment that he posted on social media regarding Kazee’s tackle. If we take his words at face value, the former Patriots and Bucs star seemed to imply that Kazee was not culpable, but rather the quarterback - Gardner Minshew - who put his pass catcher in danger. We’ll let you be the judge: