Damontae Kazee Discusses Suspension, New Role With Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee didn't think he should've been suspended but he's more focused on getting back to work.

PITTSBURGH -- Week 18 couldn't have gone any better for the Pittsburgh Steelers, who beat the rival Ravens on the road and got some help from the Titans in their pursuit of a playoff spot. And in doing so, they extended the season of safety Damontae Kazee, who was suspended three games following an illegal hit 

Kazee wasn't necessarily angry that he missed the final three weeks of the regular season, during which his team made a remarkable push toward the playoffs, even though he didn't believe he should have been suspended. 

"Went down to New York, talked to Rodger Goodell," Kazee said. "I just wanted to give him a face, you know? Explain myself. I think it went well, especially because I didn’t think I should have been suspended but we had an understanding. I knew why I got suspended. It wasn’t because of the penalties this year, it was from my NFL career.”

Kazee learned through the process that the suspension wasn't necessarily about one hit, the one he levied against the Colts' Michael Pittman in Week 15, but a body of work that Kazee has assembled over the course of his career. Kazee has been 

He's tried to adjust but it's difficult to change how you play so deep into a career as Kazee is. Still, he said there's more work to do to ensure that he doesn't miss more games for illegal hits. 

“I mean, this year, I changed my way," Kazee said. "I slowed down. I think I made good tackles this year, staying square and everything else but it’s just a position I was in. He threw the ball, he dove for it and as a defender, I’m trying to knock the ball out.”

Kazee has stayed zen through his three-game suspension, which has now ended with the start of the postseason, partially because it allowed him to spend the holidays with his family in California and largely because the Steelers did their job without him, extending the season and giving Kazee another shot at playing in 2024. 

He is back in the building now and left his suspension behind. Upon his return to the Steelers locker room, Kazee was laughing and smiling, excited to be able to refocus on the challenge of playing the Buffalo Bills on the road on Wild Card weekend. 

"They did a terrific job. Everyone looks good," Kazee said. "I wouldn’t change nothing if I was running it. Defense looking good, offense looking good, we made it here in the playoffs and now we just got to win.”

With Eric Rowe and Patrick Petersen having combined to help cover for the absences of Kazee and the injured Minkah Fitzpatrick, it's all of a sudden a crowded safeties room for the Steelers. But Kazee is willing to do whatever it takes to help them pull off the upset over the Bills this weekend. 

“Wherever they put me at, that’s what I’m playing," Kazee said. "I don’t care if I’m on special teams. I’m going to be around that ball regardless.”

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