Getty Former Dallas Cowboys and current Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee
As the Dallas Cowboys lick their wounds from a tough loss, a former starting safety for Dallas’ season is coming to an abrupt end. Damontae Kazee joined the Pittsburgh Steelers after his stint with the Cowboys, but he could be looking for a new team once again after being suspended from the NFL.
On December 18, the league’s office announced they were suspending Kazee after a recent hit on Indianapolis Colts WR Michael Pittman Jr. on December 16. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the league cites “repeated violations” for violating league rules.
The announcement on the season-long suspension of Steelers’ safety Damontae Kazee:
Kazee has made 14 appearances for the Steelers this season, including 9 starts. He was near the end of his second season in Pittsburgh, but will now not be paid for the remainder of the season.
While Kazee dealt with off-the-field issues while with the Cowboys, this is the first suspension of his career. Now 30 years old, Kazee is in the first year of a two-year deal with Pittsburgh but is only guaranteed $875,000 in the second year of the deal.
His future in Pittsburgh could be in jeopardy. That being said, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin did support Kazee in a statement after the suspension announcement.
Kazee Joins Steelers After Cowboys Run
Now in his seventh year in the NFL, Kazee is an established veteran that has made 10+ starts on three different NFL teams. He initially entered the league as a fifth-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2017, where he spent four seasons.
Entering free agency in 2021, Kazee reunited with Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn. Kazee quickly took a big role in the roster, starting 15 games in that regular season. According to PFR, Kazee brought down two INTs and forced two fumbles that campaign.
He also started in the Cowboys’ playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. But despite being a mainstay on the starting lineup, Dallas elected not to bring him back in 2022.
Tom Brady Weighs In on Kazee Suspension
Since his actual retirement, future NFL Hall of Famer Tom Brady has gotten vocal. The longtime New England Patriots QB has chimed in again, this time on Kazee’s suspension.
In an Instagram comment, Brady defends Kazee and NFL defenses. In this particular situation, the 46-year-old actually believes the pass from Colts QB Gardner Minshew led to the injury.
“Nobody likes seeing players get hurt,” Brady wrote on December 18. “But hard hits happen. QBs should not be throwing the ball in areas where they are exposing their own teammates to these types of hits. Coaches need to coach better, QBs needs to read coverages and throw the ball to the right places and defenders should aim for the right hitting areas. To put the blame on the defense player all the time is just flat out wrong. Need better QB play!! It’s not OK QBs to get your WRs hit because of your bad decisions!”
While he does call out Minshew, he also says the responsibility is on all NFL staff and players. Plus, pinpointing passes in high-pressure situations is easier said than done (at least for most QBs.)