Michael Pittman believes that the frightening Damontae Kazee hit was…

The Indianapolis Colts have announced that running back Jonathan Taylor and wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. will play against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.

Head coach Shane Steichen informed reporters Friday that Pittman had cleared the concussion protocol and would play on Sunday, according to Mike Chappell of Fox 59. Steichen had stated that Taylor “looks good” but did not reveal his official injury status at the time.

Pittman suffered a concussion after being struck by Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee, who was suspended for the rest of the season for the play. Pittman went on to say that while he didn’t think it was a clean hit, he doesn’t believe Kazee intended to damage him.

“I think it was not a clean hit, but I don’t necessarily want them to suspend him and him lose out on everything,”

the Colts’ receiver said, according to ESPN’s Stephen Holder. He added:

“I do think that they were head-hunting, but I don’t think he meant to try to impose a life-changing injury.”

Michael Pittman on Damontae Kazee’s suspension: I do think that they were head-hunting, but I don’t think he meant to impose life-changing injury.

On Friday, Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman was released from concussion protocol, six days after Steelers defender Damontae Kazee knocked him down with an illegal hit. Pittman is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game by the Colts due to a shoulder issue, but it was the brain injury that sent his family to tears.

Pittman, on the other hand, said he had no concussion symptoms after being knocked out by Kazee. Kazee had been punished five times before to the hit on Pittman.

“I do think that they were head-hunting, but I don’t think he meant to impose life-changing injury,”

Pittman explained. You never want to watch guys lose games and lose money like that.

Damontae Kazee delivered one of the most punishing Week 15 hits in NFL history, and now he is receiving one. The NFL announced on Monday that Kazee would be suspended for the remainder of the 2023 season.

“repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players.”

Kazee was suspended after hitting Indianapolis receiver Michael Pittman Jr. in the helmet while Pittman was attempting a diving catch in the Steelers’ 30-13 loss to the Colts on Saturday.

On the play, Pittman sustained a concussion, and Kazee was removed from the game as a result of the hit. However, his ban is due to the fact that Pittman’s dive altered Kazee’s target on the play, making the entire sequence appear worse than it was.

Kazee was suspended by the NFL for violating league rules.

“intended to protect the health and safety of players.”

Because Kazee was a repeat offender, the league judged that his attack on Pittman deserved a ban.

He called Pittman’s hit “a serious violation” and criticized the Steelers safety for hitting him hard in the helmet while he was defenseless.

According to the video of the play, you delivered a violent blow to the head/neck area of Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who was in a vulnerable posture.

Runyan further mentioned that this was not Kazee’s first offense. Before the infraction against Pittman, the 30-year-old safety had been fined twice during the season for improper helmet use and twice for hitting a defenseless receiver.

Kazee will be suspended for the remainder of the 2023 NFL regular season. However, James Thrash, who handled Kazee’s ban appeal, determined that the safety would be permitted to return in the 2024 NFL playoffs if the Steelers qualified. If they are unable to do so, he will be ineligible to play until the start of the 2024 NFL season, as his ban was maintained.

If that wasn’t bad enough, Kazee’s suspension also will increase his total fines for the season rise to $267,363, per Mark Kaboly of The Athletic. That’s worth 22 percent of his $1.25 million base salary for the season.

A majority of Kazee’s fines will come as a result of his three missed game checks, which are worth a total of about $208,333. The rest ($59,030) will come from the five fines he received throughout the 2023 NFL season, which are as follows, per Spotrac.com.

Date Infraction Fine
Sept. 22 Unsportsmanlike Conduct $11,806
Oct. 27 Impermissible use of the helmet $11,806
Nov. 3 Impermissible use of the helmet $11,806
Nov. 3 Hit to a defenseless receiver $11,806
Dec. 1 Hit to a defenseless receiver $11,806

When compared to his contract, Kazee’s fines are substantial. During the 2023 offseason, he agreed to a two-year, $6 million contract with the Steelers. However, just $1.75 million of it was guaranteed at the time of signing, thus he is out a significant sum due to his suspension.

Kazee will almost certainly dispute the NFL’s decision to keep some of his remaining money.

The NFL announced Monday that Steelers safety Damontae Kazee has been suspended indefinitely for his illegal hit on Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. on Saturday. Kazee was suspended without pay because of “repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect health and safety of players,”

“When players violate the rules intended to protect player safety in 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,”

NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan wrote in a letter to Kazee.

The 30-year-old defensive back has started in nine of his 14 appearances this year and has tallied 61 tackles in those games. Kazee also has recorded two interceptions and two fumble recoveries in his seventh NFL season out of San Diego State.