Steelers DB Suffers Setback Before Jets Game

Damontae Kazee had his game status downgraded for the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7.

Sep 15, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee (23) returns a intercepted football in the fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers may be without a member of their secondary when they take on the New York Jets in Week 7.

Steelers Senior Director of Communications, Burt Lauten, announced on Saturday that safety Damontae Kazee was downgraded to questionable for Sunday night's contest with an ankle injury.

The #Steelers have downgraded S Damontae Kazee (ankle) to questionable for Sunday's game vs. the NYJ. We have also upgraded DT Montravius Adams (knee) to have no injury status designation.

— Burt Lauten (@SteelersPRBurt) October 19, 2024

Kazee initially suffered his injury during pre-game warm ups ahead of Pittsburgh's matchup against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5, though he still went on to play 21 snaps.

His ankle swelled up postgame, however, which muddied the waters surrounding his availability over the last couple of weeks. Kazee did not participate in practice leading up to the Steelers' Week 6 bout with the Las Vegas Raiders and ultimately did not play, though he did return in a limited capacity this Thursday before being upgraded to a full participant on Friday.

While the 31-year-old was not listed with a game designation on the final report of the week, he's clearly still dealing with nagging effects of his injury. If he can't dress against the Jets, Terrell Edmunds is set up as the primary backup to starters Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott at safety.

Kazee originally signed with Pittsburgh in May 2022. He later inked a two-year extension with the team, which runs through the end of this season, and has appeared in 28 total games (13 starts) in the black and gold while posting 89 tackles and five interceptions.

Lauten added that the Steelers upgraded defensive tackle Montravius Adams (knee) from questionable to having no designation.

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