Houston Texans player Azeez Al-Shaair suspended 3 games for illegal hit on Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence

The NFL has suspended Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for three games without pay after he delivered a devastating and illegal hit to the head of Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence during a game Sunday when the signal caller slipped on the turf.

Jon Runyan, the NFL’s vice president of football operations, announced the suspension on Monday and criticized Al-Shaair for “your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football.”

Besides the heavy blow to Lawrence, Runyon said the decision to suspend Al-Shaair was based on repeated violations of rules meant to protect the health and safety of players and promote sportsmanship.

“During your game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Dec. 1, with 4:20 left in the second quarter, you engaged in a play that the League considers unacceptable and a serious violation of the rules of the game,” Runyon wrote in a letter to Al. -Shair.

Al-Shaair signed a three-year, $34 million contract this offseason. The loss of salary for three games means Al-Shaair could lose up to $2 million, or about $666,000 per game. game.

The video showed Lawrence crawling out of the pocket and running six yards down the field before taking a foot-first slide. The quarterback’s knees were already on the turf when the 27-year-old Al-Shaair laid him out with a blow to the head with a left forearm that was covered by a brace.

Runyan said Lawrence “clearly goes down a feet-first slide” when Al-Shaair hit him, leading with his forearm and helmet. Runyan said Al-Shaair “had time and space to avoid such contact.”

The impact sent Lawrence backwards, causing the back of his helmet to hit the turf hard. As Lawrence lay on the court at Jacksonville’s EverBank Stadium, his arms appeared to be in what’s called a “fencing position,” an involuntary position associated with a brain injury.

When Lawrence stayed on the ground, a teammate, Evan Engram, retaliated against Al-Shaair, sparking the first of two fights between the teams.

When the dust settled, Al-Shaair was ejected for making the illegal hit around the quarterback’s head and neck area. Engram was assessed a personal foul penalty.

“After the illegal hit, you continued to engage in a fight which you escalated when you pulled an opponent to the ground by his face mask,” Runyon said in his letter to Al-Shaair. “After the referee announced that you were disqualified for the hit and your unsportsmanlike conduct, you removed your helmet and made contact with your opponent again while walking down the field, starting another physical confrontation near the end zone.”

Lawrence suffered a concussion and had to be carted off the field. He did not return for the game, which the Texans ended up winning 23–20.

“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 NFL’s core values,” Runyon wrote to Al-Shaair. “Your continued disregard for the NFL’s rules of the game puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents at risk and will not be tolerated.”

Under the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, Al-Shaair has the right to appeal the suspension, but it was not immediately clear whether he will do so.

In a postgame press conference Sunday, Jaguars coach Doug Peterson called the hit an “unfortunate play.”

“It’s a play that nobody wants to see in our league, obviously, because you see what happens afterward and it just escalates,” Peterson said.

On Monday, Al-Shaair claimed in a posts on social media that he “really didn’t see him (Lawrence) slip until it was too late.”

“To Trevor, I truly apologize to you for what ended up happening,” Al-Shaair wrote.

Al-Shaair continued: “I’ve always played as hard as I could. Never with the intention of hurting anyone and anyone who knows me knows that. My goal is to hit you as hard as I can, so please you are still able to get up and play the next piece.”

Al-Shaair also said that since the incident on the pitch, he has been “called every name in the book from journalists with their hands ready for a story to find their villain to racist and Islamophobic fans and people.”

“You don’t know my heart or my character, which I don’t need to prove to any of you,” Al-Shaair wrote. “God knows my intentions and anyone who has ever been my teammate or friend knows my heart.”

The 25-year-old Lawrence has posted a message on social media X on Monday, saying he was “feeling better”.

“Thank you to everyone who has reached out/prayed for me,” Lawrence wrote. “I’m home and feeling better. Means a lot, thank you all.”