Steelers safety Damontae Kazee’s hit on Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman on Saturday resulted in a suspension without pay for the final three games of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ season — and any potential playoff contests, Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Citing “repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players,” the NFL announced the Kazee suspension Monday afternoon, two days after Kazee was ejected in the second quarter for his hit on Pittman that knocked the Colts receiver from the game with a concussion.

Kazee will forfeit $208,333 in salary for the remainder of the regular season. His base salary is $1.25 million this year; he is signed for $3 million for 2024.

Kazee’s agent, Ronald Turner, told the TribLive that Kazee will appeal the suspension. The appeal would be heard by former NFL players Derrick Brooks or James Thrash, the hearing officers jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFL Players’ Association.

NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan suspended Kazee for violating Rule 12, Section 2, Article 9 (b)(1) of the league’s rulebook. The rule says a foul is warranted if a player “forcibly hits the defenseless player’s head or neck area with the helmet, facemask, 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.”

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