Texans' Al-Shaair suspended 3 games for late hit on Lawrence
The NFL has suspended Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for three games after a late hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence on Sunday.
Al-Shaair was ejected from the contest for the hit that saw Lawrence carted off the field with a concussion.
Watch Trevor Lawrence immediately after this horrific hit. His right arm suddenly flexes as his left arm simultaneously extends. This is known as the “fencing posture”—an involuntary reflex that occurs after impact in blunt head trauma. It signifies a traumatic brain injury with… pic.twitter.com/Saa8j8cffJ
— Sam Ghali, M.D. (@EM_RESUS) December 1, 2024
"Video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in (a) feet-first slide," NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan said in a statement.
"You led with your forearm and helmet and delivered a forceful blow to the head/neck area of your opponent when you had time and space to avoid such contact."
Runyan added: "Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL."
The vice president of football operations also said Al-Shaair's participation in a "brawl" after the play contributed to the league's decision. It took several minutes for the refs to break up the players, and fans threw objects at the linebacker as he left the field.
Al-Shaair will appeal the suspension, sources told Adam Schefter of ESPN. If the appeal is denied, he'll be eligible to return for the team's season-finale against the Tennessee Titans.
"To Trevor, I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening," Al-Shaair said in a statement released Monday. "Before the game, we spoke, and I told you how great it was to see you back out on the field and wished you well.
"I would never want to see any player hurt because of a hit I put on them, especially one that was ruled 'late' or 'unnecessary.'"
Lawrence is in the league's concussion protocol following the incident. Head coach Doug Pederson said Monday the team will wait until he clears protocol to decide whether to shut the quarterback down for the remainder of the season.
Sunday was Lawrence's first game back after missing two contests with a shoulder injury. He completed four passes for 41 yards and an interception before exiting. Mac Jones replaced the injured Lawrence, finishing with 235 yards and two touchdowns.
The 27-year-old linebacker has already been fined twice by the league. He was forced to pay $11,817 after punching Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson and was fined $11,255 for a late hit out of bounds on Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard.
"The picture that's been painted about Azeez, his intentions, who he is as a person, I mean, quite frankly, it's bullshit," Texans general manager Nick Caserio told reporters Tuesday, according to NFL reporter Arye Pulli.
"It's unfair to the individual, it's unfair to the organization, and we love everything about Azeez Al-Shaair and what he means to this team."
The Texans are on their bye week with their next game coming on Dec. 15 against the Miami Dolphins.