Tom Brady still carries a ton of weight when he speaks — and while the GOAT chooses his spots — it’s clear he’s still passionate about the NFL and will make his voice known when he believes there’s been an injustice.
On Monday, the NFL announced Steelers’ DB Damontae Kazee was suspended for the rest of the season, including the postseason, the league announced. The NFL cited “repeated violations of playing rules intended to protect the health and safety of players” as the reason for the stark punishment.
Why now exactly?
In Saturday’s matchup between the Steelers and Colts, Kazee laid a hit on WR Michael Pittman while the wide receiver was diving for the ball on a pass from Gardner Minshew. Kazee was ejected from the game and Pittman suffered a concussion.
Jon Runyan, the NFL’s vice president of football operations, addressed 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,” Runyan 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.”
Tom Brady Shreds The NFL For Kazee Suspension
Just under Adam Schefter’s official instagram post noting the NFL’s suspension of Kazee, Brady weighed in.
WOW…. #NFL legend Tom Brady RIPS the #NFL about the Damontae Kazee suspension.
Says it is on the QB to not put his weapons in the hospital, and on the coaches to coach better.
(🅱️📷@chicagoBRIZ) pic.twitter.com/UWXdnGEzpv
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) December 18, 2023
“Nobody likes seeing players get hurt. But hard hits happen,” Brady wrote.
The GOAT clearly thinks this is way more of a Gardner Minshew problem than Kazee, who was just doing the best he could from the position he was put in.
“QBs should not be throwing the ball in areas where they are exposing their own teammates to these kinds of hits. Coaches need to coach better, QBs need to read coverages and throw the ball to the right places and defenders should aim for the right hitting areas. To put the blame on the defense player all the time is just flat out wrong. Need better QB play!!! It’s not OK QBs to get your WRs hit because of your bad decisions.”
It’s interesting to hear this perspective, particularly from a QB with such a high pedigree in the NFL over the years. Brady giving these kinds of takes only helps the game — so it will be cool to see if he actually makes the transition into the booth next season.
