Jaguars’ QB Trevor Lawrence ruled out following a contentious hit during the game against the Texans, raising concerns about his recovery timeline.
After missing two games, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence did not receive the friendly reception he had hoped for. In the latter part of the second quarter, Lawrence was removed to the locker room following a delayed hit from Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair that sparked a large on-field fight.
After escaping the pocket, Lawrence tried to slide close to the 45-yard line but was tackled by Al-Shaair and was out of the game due to concussion.
The linebacker drove his extended forearm into Evan Engram, prompting him to aggressively go after the linebacker, with the entire Jaguars’ offense and bench following suit. Once the dust cleared, personal fouls were given to Al-Shaair and Engram. As anticipated, Al-Shaair was also expelled from the match.
The NFL has suspended Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for three games due to his hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence exited the match and was found to have a concussion in head. He mentioned post-game that he was “home and feeling improved.”
In response to the backlash over the illegal hit, Al-Shaair took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to express his apologies to Lawrence and the Jaguars:
“I genuinely didn’t see him sliding until it was too late. And it all happens in the blink of an eye,” Al-Shaair wrote. “To Trevor i genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening. Before the game we spoke and I told you how it was great 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’s deemed ‘late’ or ‘unnecessary.’
“To the rest of the people who I’ve been called every single name in the book from reporters with their hands ready for a story to find their villain, to racist and Islamophobic fans and people, you don’t know my heart nor my character which I don’t need to prove to any of you.” : Posted Al-Shaair via X.
Azeez Al-Shaair plans to appeal for his three-game suspension. The appeal for Al-Shaair will be evaluated by either Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster, Kevin Mawae, or Jordy Nelson — the appeal officers selected by both the NFL and NFLPA.
Earlier this year, Al-Shaair received an $11,817 fine for hitting Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson on the sideline during Week 2.
A three-game suspension encompasses almost all of the Texans’ upcoming matches. Houston has a break in Week 14 before concluding with four games in the last month. Al-Shaair will be able to play in the team’s final game against the Tennessee Titans in Week 18. The duration of his suspension might be reduced based on the result of his appeal.
Texans head coach Demeco Ryans mentioned after the game that Al-Shaair’s hit does not align with their coaching in Houston and that such actions do not portray Al-Shaair’s character as a player or person.
“Again, it’s unfortunate. It’s a play that really has no business being in our league. I thought the officials did a great job of doing the best they could to get control of it and all of that,” Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said after the game.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans also shared his thoughts on the tackle and its significance for the match.
“It’s unfortunate with the hit, with Azeez. You know, it’s not what we’re coaching. Want to be smart in everything we do and not hurt the team, get a penalty there, Have to be smarter when the quarterback is going down. Unfortunate play. Not representative of who Azeez is. He’s a smart player, really great leader for us. We felt his presence not being there. His loss really affected us on the defensive side. Just not what we’re coaching. Didn’t want to see the melee and all the aftermath. That’s not what we’re about. Not representative of us. I’ll talk to Azeez, address him personally, and we’ll move forward from it.” : Ryans said after the game.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans was observed engaging in a lengthy discussion with Pederson after the game.
Mac Jones took over for Lawrence and led the Jaguars’ comeback in the fourth quarter. Jones finished 20 out of 32 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns. Pederson chose not to guess about Lawrence’s future status, particularly with the Jags now out of contention in the AFC South.
Lawrence, selected first overall in the 2021 draft, missed a game for the first time in his career in 2023 due to a sprained right shoulder sustained during Week 16. He also lost important practice time due to other injuries: a sprained left knee in Week 6, a sprained right ankle in Week 13, and a concussion in Week 15.
Image Credit- Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
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