FLOWERY BRANCH – Cowboys safety Damontae Kazee is not pleased with how his tenure with the Falcons ended.
The Falcons (4-4) are set to face the Cowboys (6-2) at 1 p.m. Sunday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
“The only thing I remember in Atlanta is me getting hurt and me getting kicked out of rehab,” Kazee said told the Dallas media on Wednesday. “That is all I remember.”
The Falcons elected not to immediately comment on this matter.
The hard-hitting Kazee was injured in the second quarter of the fourth game against Green Bay on Oct. 5, 2020. He suffered a torn Achilles and as of March 5, he was rehabbing in the team’s facilities.
“They let me go,” Kazee said. “They told me I can’t do rehab up there no more.” Kazee’s contract was set to run out on March 17, but he wanted to return. However, the new regime was moving in another direction in the secondary.
Kazee, who was a fifth-round pick out of San Diego State in 2017, was at the six-month mark of his rehab.
He played in 16 games and made one start as a rookie. In 2018, he took over at free safety after Ricardo Allen was injured. Kazee ended up tying for the NFL lead with seven interceptions.
In 2019, he started 14 of 16 games and had three interceptions and 74 tackles.
Kazee was shocked the Falcons elected to move on from him.
“It surprised me because I thought I was going to finish my rehab up there,” Kazee said. “But it is what it is. The GM said to leave. So, I got my stuff and left.”
Kazee said the abrupt departure doesn’t provide extra incentive for the upcoming game.
“Nah, nah,” Kazee said. “On to the next. Can’t get mad. That is life. This is a business at the end of the day.”
Credit: Curtis Compton
Credit: Curtis Compton
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