The ban comes after Kazee was removed from Saturday’s 30-13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts for a hit on a defenseless wide receiver,
Michael Pittman, who remained down following the brutal hit and was eventually declared out of the game due to a concussion.
“With 8:49 remaining in the second quarter, you were involved in a play that the League considers to be a serious violation of the
playing rules,” NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan wrote to Kazee.
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“The video of the play shows you delivering a violent blow to the head/neck area of Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who was in a
defenseless position.
“You had an unimpeded path to your opponent, thus the illegal touch might have been avoided. Your acts were egregious, so you were
disqualified from the game.”
The league also highlighted Kazee’s previous history as a reason for the ban.
“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 said in a
statement.
According to league regulations, Kazee can appeal his suspension, which will be considered by one of two hearing officers appointed
jointly by the NFL and NFLPA.
Kazee is in his second season with the Steelers. In March, he inked a two-year contract that included a $1.75 million signing bonus and
wages of $1.25 million in 2023 and $3 million in 2024.
