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NFL Suspends Steelers DB Damontae Kazee for Remainder of Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers will play the rest of the season without a starting safety.

Stephen Thompson

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PITTSBURGH -- A hard hit on Indianapolis Colts receiver Michael Pittman will not only cost Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee part an ejection from his last game, but will put him on the sidelines for the remainder of the season. 

According to a report from NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the NFL is suspending Kazee for the remainder of the season without pay for his hit on Pittman in the Steelers' 30-13 loss last weekend against the Colts. 

In a release from the NFL posted on Twitter by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan said that Kazee's suspension is a consequence for "repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players."

Kazee has been fined five times this season, all for unnecessary roughness penalties, and they have cost him a total of $59,030.

Kazee leveled his hit on Pittman in the second quarter of last weekend's loss at Lucas Oil Stadium. Pittman was considered a defenseless receiver attempting to make a catch and did not establish himself as a runner. Officials ruled that Kazee delivered his hit to the head/neck area. Pittman left the game and did not return. 

The Steelers are only getting thinner at the safety spot, with Minkah Fitzpatrick already expected to miss the Bengals game, if not more time, with a knee injury. Keanu Neal is also on injured reserve with a hamstring issue and backup Trenton Thompson is questionable for Week 16 with a stinger that didn't knock him out of the Colts game, but made him go through evaluations from the Steelers medical staff throughout the afternoon. 

Mark Kaboly of The Athletic reported that Kazee will appeal his suspension. 

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Stephen Thompson
STEPHEN THOMPSON

Stephen Thompson graduated with a bachelor's degree in communications and political science from Pitt in April 2022 after spending four years as a sports writer and editor at The Pitt News, the University of Pittsburgh's independent, student-run newspaper. He primarily worked the Pitt men's basketball beat, and filled in on coverage of football, volleyball, softball, gymnastics and lacrosse, in addition to other sports as needed. His work at The Pitt News has won awards from the Pennsylvania News Media Association and Associated College Press. During the spring and summer of 2021, Stephen interned for Pittsburgh Sports Now, covering baseball in western Pennsylvania. Hailing from Washington D.C., family ties have cultivated a love of Boston's professional teams and Pitt athletics, and a fascination with sports in general. 

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