Background:

Standing 5-foot-11 out of San Bernardino, California, today’s Aztec Alumni spotlight falls on NFL safety Damontae Kazee.

Coming out of Cajon High School in 2011, Kazee was a three-star recruit. At Cajon High, Kazee became a three-time all-CIF athlete who played both sides of the ball for the football team. He helped the Cowboys to a 9-2 overall record as a senior in 2011, including a 6-1 mark in league play. He lettered in football, basketball, and track at Cajon High.

San Diego State beat out the University of Arizona and Washington State for Kazee, according to goaztecs.com. Damontae’s brother, Walter Kazee, played running back for the Aztecs from 2009-12. Coming to The Mesa in 2012, Kazee decided to use his redshirt year and develop physically. 

Time at SDSU:

The 2013 campaign for the Aztecs was Kazee’s redshirt freshman year. He had a phenomenal freshman year with 41 tackles (28 solo), four forced fumbles, 3.0 TFL, two pass breakups, an interception, a sack, and a blocked kick. He led the MW and tied for 10th (first among freshmen) in the nation in forced fumbles per game (0.33) (four total). 

Damontae Kazee graduated from San Diego State after the 2016 season. Numerous awards marked his career, and the Aztecs achieved great success with him on defense. Kazee left the Aztecs as a two-time and back-to-back Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. He was just the fifth player in league history to win the award twice. He joined the likes of Kirk Morrison and Eric Weddle as a two-time winner.

Upon his graduation, Kazee was the SDSU career record-holder in interceptions (17) and also was sixth with 30 PBUs, tied for sixth with six forced fumbles, and seventh in interception yards (214). He was the first Aztec in program history with six or more interceptions in consecutive seasons. In total, Kazee played 53 games for the Aztecs and started 41 of those games. He amassed 239 total tackles, 15.5 tackles for loss, one sack, 17 interceptions, and six forced fumbles (one of which he returned for a touchdown). 

During his tenure, the Aztecs compiled a cumulative record of 37-17. They won two back-to-back conference championships in 2015 and 2016. The Aztecs’ 2015 conference championship marked their first since 1986.  During the 15-’16 years, the Aztecs posted 11 wins in each campaign. In his four years on the Mesa, the Aztecs won three and lost only one bowl game.

NFL career:

After his illustrious career at San Diego State, Kazee headed for the NFL Draft.

The Atlanta Falcons drafted Kazee in the fifth round with the 149th pick in the 2017 draft. He went on to play three full seasons for the Falcons before joining the Dallas Cowboys for the remainder of the 2021 season. As a free agent, Pittsburgh signed Kazee, and he played there for two and a half seasons. The end of his tenure with the Steelers was unconventional, as he was suspended for the final three games of the 2024-2025 campaign. In a game against the Indianapolis Colts, Kazee was ejected for illegal contact to the head area of Indianapolis’ Michael Pitman Jr., according to the Associated Press. 

The Cleveland Browns decided to sign the veteran this offseason to plug some holes in their defense.

To date, Kazee has appeared in 107 games, starting in 63 of them. He has accrued 17 interceptions and seven forced fumbles. He has racked up 251 solo tackles, 112 assisted tackles, and three tackles for loss. Kazee joins a squad that ranked 27th out of 32 teams in points against, forced only four interceptions, and 12 fumbles. This is the opportunity Kazee needs to advance his career. The bar is practically on the floor in Cleveland after a disastrous year last year. Damontae Kazee needs to seize the opportunity and anchor the Browns’ secondary.

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Max Montoya

A Southern California kid from San Clemente, he attended Gonzaga University and obtained a degree in sports management with minors in digital marketing and public relations. Max has been a San Diego sports fan for life.