STEELERS HEAD COACH SUSPENDED A STAR PLAYER FOR.

For the duration of the season, NFL suspends Damontae Kazee of the Steelers.

For “repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players,” the NFL suspended Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee for the remainder of the regular season and any future postseason games, the league announced in a statement on Monday. Kazee will not be paid during this suspension.

The punishment follows Kazee’s ejection from Saturday’s 30-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts following a hit on defenseless wide receiver Michael Pittman, who remained on the ground following the forceful hit and was eventually declared out of the game due to a concussion.

NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan wrote to Kazee, saying, “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.” “The play’s video indicates that you struck Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. violently while he was in a helpless position, striking him in the head and neck area. The unlawful contact could have been prevented, and you had an open route to your opponent. You were eliminated from the game due to your egregious behavior.”

The league added that Kazee’s prior record played a role in his suspension.

“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,” Runyan stated.

Kazee has the right, per league regulations, to challenge the suspension. The NFLPA and the NFL appointed two hearing officers in tandem to hear these appeals.

Kazee is a member of the Steelers for his second season. He inked a two-year contract in March, which included a $1.75 million signing bonus and salaries of $1.25 million in 2023 and $3 million in 2024.

In September of last year, Kazee, 30, was also given a three-game suspension for breaking the league’s drug-abuse policy.

In 92 career games (62 starts), Kazee has 16 interceptions between the Steelers (2021), Dallas Cowboys (2021), and Atlanta Falcons (2017–20).