NFL suspends Steelers safety Damontae Kazee for remainder of season after hit to Michael Pittman Jr.

INDIANAPOLIS — The NFL has suspended Pittsburgh safety Damontae Kazee for the remainder of the season and postseason following his hit against Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. in Saturday’s game at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Pittman was forced from the game with a concussion.

The league announced Monday that the drastic disciplinary action was the result of Kazee’s “repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players.’’

Prior to the latest sanction from the league, Kazee had been penalized five times this season for unnecessary roughness. He was fined $11,806 on each occasion.

The NFL’s collective bargaining agreement with the players allows Kazee to appeal the suspension, which will cost him more than $203,000.

Kazee was penalized for unnecessary roughness and ejected from Saturday’s game in the second quarter for delivering a helmet-first hit as Pittman was diving and stretching for a pass from Gardner Minshew II.

Pittman rolled over on his back after the hit and remained on the turf for a few minutes. He eventually got to his feet and walked to the sideline. Instead of evaluating Pittman in the blue medical tent, doctors took him directly to the locker room and ruled him out with a concussion.

Pittman is in the league’s concussion protocol and must maneuver through the various steps to be available for Sunday’s game at Atlanta.

Pittman posted an update on social media Saturday evening that he was “all good.’’

Jon Runyan, the NFL’s vice president of football operations, explained the league’s decision in a letter to Kazee.

“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,’’ he wrote. “The video of the play shows that you delivered a forcible blow to the head/neck area of Colts’ receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who was in a defenseless posture. You had an unobstructed path to your opponent and the illegal contact could have been avoided. Your actions were flagrant, and as a result, you were disqualified from the game.

“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.”

Colts coach Shane Steichen said Sunday there was no place in the NFL for the type of hit Kazee delivered.

“It probably shouldn’t happen,’’ he said. “He led with the crown of his helmet and you never want to see that, you know what I mean?

“Do those happen in football sometimes? Yeah, but it was . . .  you don’t want to see it. That’s all I’ll say.’’

After the game, Minshew noted the leading-with-the-helmet tackle is “never ideal. You don’t do that.

“I don’t think there was any malicious intent or anything. That’s sometimes how the game goes. I wish I wouldn’t have put Pitt in that position, honestly.’’

Safety Julian Blackmon offered a stronger indictment of Kazee.

“We’ve gotta get that out of the game,’’ he told Indystar. “I’m not sure what (Kazee) saw, but things like that, you’ve got to understand that could end somebody’s whole career.’’

Pittman is the Colts’ leading receiver with 99 receptions, 1,062 yards and four touchdowns.

Mike Mitchell weighs in

Mike Mitchell is in his second season as an assistant defensive backs with the Colts. That follows a 10-year career as a hard-hitting safety, including four seasons with Pittsburgh and his final 2018 season with the Colts.

Mitchell offered his views on the Kazee suspension with a couple of posts on social media.

The first: “I don’t know what to tell my safeties anymore. I guess just let them catch it. If I were a WR I would dive for every catch. That would ensure no contact and a completed pass. Playing deep safety in today’s NFL where rules are made mostly by people who’ve never played in tough.’’

The second: “I love Pittman to life. Before you guys go to crazy I’m all for player safety and making the game safer and better for the current players. I watch my best friend get paralyzed playing this game. I was just saying it’s extremely tough to play safety in today’s league . . . #GoColts.’’

Mike Tomlin weighs in

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was asked about his “talking points’’ to his safeties Monday. He insisted Kazee isn’t “a dirty player.’’

“Usually I talk about lowering the target,’’ Tomlin said. “The target was low and both guys were going. It was just unfortunate. I know he is not a dirty player. He doesn’t aspire to do some of the things that came to light under those circumstances.

“Sometimes it’s just professional football today, and how difficult it is to operate. But the National Football League is really clear, man. They put a hundred percent of the onus on the defender in those circumstances. It’s unfortunate, but we understand.’’

You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.