On Monday afternoon, two days following his ejection from Saturday’s game, Pittsburgh Steelers S Damontae Kazee was suspended by the NFL for the remainder of the season. The suspension also includes any possible playoff games. That means in some unlikely scenario in which the Steelers make the Super Bowl, he could be suspended for up to seven games. The hit itself and the suspension that followed have been highly controversial around the NFL media over the last couple days.
Dallas Cowboys All-Pro LB Micah Parsons gave his take in a video of The Edge podcast posted on Bleacher Report’s YouTube channel Wednesday afternoon.
“Damontae Kazee just lost money and just got suspended for the rest of the season for making a legal hit,” Parsons said emphatically. “What is that man supposed to do? His head did not hit. He put his shoulder into Michael Pittman’s chest, and he just got suspended for the rest of the year…Is a player just supposed to let another player catch the ball? What is the point of playing defense anymore in the NFL if you cannot make hits?”
The NFL made a rather hasty decision immediately following the hit. The penalty flags came flying which was to be expected, but referee Adrian Hill announced right away that Kazee was ejected from the game. Here is the hit in question, though it is slowed down and zoomed in, so you cannot see the full context or bang-bang nature of the play.
Indianapolis Colts QB Gardner Minshew II threw the ball a little too far, which caused Pittman to lay out for what would have been an impressive catch. With Kazee coming downhill, he more or less had two options—allow Pittman to complete a 25-yard reception or do what he did and get suspended. Defenders in the NFL are increasingly being put in lose-lose situations with a number of rule changes and the emphasis that the NFL has put on player safety.
“It’s almost like football is turning into basketball,” Parsons continued. “I think football would be flag football in about five, 10 years. Honestly, we’re penalizing and taking money from people’s families for playing the way the game should be played.”
Not only are the rules favoring offensive players more and more but the rules that are in place to try to protect defensive players have been inconsistently called as of late. Players like Parsons, T.J. Watt, and Myles Garrett have each expressed frustrations this season with a lack of holding calls, and there seems to be an increase in offensive tackles getting away with false starts that go uncalled.
Kazee is preparing to appeal his suspension. It will be heard by either Derrick Brooks or James Thrash, the officers appointed by the league to arbitrate on-field discipline appeals. They should be familiar with Kazee and his history as he has reportedly appealed (and won) multiple of his player safety-related fines this season.
