Steelers' Damontae Kazee's Suspension Upheld by NFL; Can Return for Playoffs

James Thrash, the hearing officer for Damontae Kazee's suspension appeal, upheld the season-long suspension for the Pittsburgh Steelers' safety, according to NFL senior vice president of football and international communications, Michael Signora.

Thrash, jointly appointed by the league and NFLPA, did rule that Kazee could return for the postseason should Pittsburgh qualify.

NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan initially suspended Kazee for the final three games of the season without pay for multiple violations of the player safety rules.

The final straw was a hit on Saturday against Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. that left him concussed. Kazee was flagged and ejected.

On the play in question, Pittman was diving for a ball, fully outstretched, when Kazee bent down and lowered his shoulder into the wide receiver, making contact with his helmet and neck.

Runyon ruled that Kazee violated the rule that stipulates it's an illegal hit if a player "forcibly hits the defenseless player's head or neck area with the helmet, face mask, forearm or shoulder, even if the initial contact is lower than the player's neck, and regardless of whether the defensive player also uses his arms to tackle the defenseless player by encircling or grasping him."

He added that the hit could have been avoided and called the contact "flagrant."

Kazee's suspension was met with a mixed response:

Per ESPN's Brooke Pryor, the 30-year-old Kazee had already been fined five other times for unnecessary roughness penalties this season alone, totaling $59,030, which Runyon said played a factor in his suspension. Missing the remaining three games of the season will cost him in the neighborhood of $208,000.

He's appeared in 14 games for the Steelers this season (nine starts), posting 61 tackles, two interceptions, three passes defensed and two fumble recoveries.