If the Pittsburgh Steelers intend on making it back to the NFL playoffs, they'll have to do so without one of the key pieces of their lineup.
Earlier today, the NFL announced that Steelers safety Damontae Kazee has been suspended for the remainder of the 2023 regular season due to his hard hit on Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. during Saturday's loss against Indianapolis.
According to the NFL, Kazee's suspension was due in part to his “repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players.’’
NFL Vice President of Operations Jon Runyan explained the decision by saying 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,’’ he wrote. “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.”
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