EXCLUSIVE: Steelers’ Damontae Kazee activated for playoff showdown vs. Bills after three-game suspension

After his hit on Colts wideout Michael Pittman in Week 15 resulted in a three-game suspension to end the regular season, Damontae Kazee will have another opportunity to play this season. In advance of Pittsburgh’s Super Wild Card Weekend matchup with the Bills in Buffalo on Wednesday, Kazee was activated.

After hitting Pittman, Kazee received a non-paying suspension; however, if the Steelers advanced to the playoffs, he was allowed to return to action this season. After winning its final three games of the regular season, Pittsburgh achieved just that.

The Steelers now have flexibility in the secondary thanks to Kazee’s return. The Steelers promoted veteran Eric Rowe from the practice squad to safety and moved Patrick Peterson from cornerback to safety due to Kazee’s suspension and Minkah Fitzpatrick’s injury.

Mike Tomlin, the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, stated on Tuesday that Pittsburgh now has choices that it did not have in previous weeks with the return of Fitzpatrick and Kazee.

Kazee, 30, is in his second season as a member of the Steelers. This season, he has made nine starts and recorded two interceptions, one of which was the game-winning pick in Pittsburgh’s victory over the Packers in the middle of the season.

This week, Kazee declared that he would accept any position that the Steelers ask him to play on Sunday.

He told the Tribune-Review, “Wherever they put me, that is where I’m playing.” “If I’m on special teams, it doesn’t matter to me. I will be there at the ball whatever.”