“It’s pure grace of God that I was able to walk,” Michael Pittman Jr. claims the brutal hit he took from Damontae Kazee ‘wasn’t legal’

Pittman said the tackle was scary and he does not remember what happened.

“It’s pure grace of God that I was able to walk,” Michael Pittman Jr. claims the brutal hit he took from Damontae Kazee ‘wasn’t legal’

Michael Pittman Jr. on Friday after Colts practice spoke on Damontae Kazee challenge (Image via ESPN/X)

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. claimed that he does not remember the “scary” hit from Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee. He revealed getting hit, but what followed afterward is all a blur.

A few days have passed since the ill-fated challenge at Lucas Oil Stadium. When asked about the moment of impact, Pittman claimed of getting hit by a defender, but his next memory was waking up and seeing people hunched over him.

I honestly never saw him coming. I was diving, I caught it, and then all of a sudden, I woke up, and there were people looking down at me. Me was like, 'Oh, s***, what just happened?
the 26-year-old said on Friday after the Colts practice

The hit took place during the Indianapolis Colts 30–13 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Moments after the tackle, officials flagged Kazee for dangerous play and ejected him. Later, the NFL committee announced they had suspended the veteran defender for the rest of the season.

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Football being a contact sport, episodes similar to this are not a rare occurrence. But no one wants to see a player down with an injury. Even more so for their families. According to USA Today‘s Nate Atkins, Pittman’s wife, Kianna, and daughter, Mila, were in tears seeing him lying motionless on the field.

It's by the pure grace of God that I was able to get up and walk. That was a scary hit. I didn't know where I was.
Pittman added

Michael Pittman Jr. has no hard feelings toward Damontae Kazee

Fortunately, even after the nasty incident, Pittman was able to recover quickly. Head coach Shane Steichen revealed that the 2020 second-round pick was able to clear the concussion protocol on Friday. He is eligible to travel with the Colts to Mercedes-Benz Arena and face the Atlanta Falcons.

“It’s pure grace of God that I was able to walk,” Michael Pittman Jr. claims the brutal hit he took from Damontae Kazee ‘wasn’t legal’
Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (Image via Si)

Pittman revealed in the interview that he believes the hit from Kazee was intentional. He had every right to go for the ball. The outcome is just unfortunate.

I do think that they were head-hunting, but I don't think he meant to impose a life-changing injury. You never want to see guys lose games and lose that much money. I don't think he was trying to do that.

There are a few things only players can understand and connect with. Pittman understands that the challenge wasn’t great, and Kazee is paying for it.

He has a family, too. I know that's a hefty fine. He's going to miss out on a lot of money that he was counting on. So you never want to see that.

Michael Pittman Jr. is one of the unsung heroes for the Colts in their hunt for a playoff spot. He has made 99 catches for 1,062 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games. 

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