Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair has been suspended for three games by the NFL following a late hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence during Sunday’s game. The hit, which occurred in the second quarter of the Texans’ 23-20 victory, resulted in Lawrence sustaining a concussion and triggered a brawl between the two teams.
On a second-and-7 play, Lawrence attempted a scramble before sliding to the ground. Despite the slide already in progress, Al-Shaair made a tackle, leading with his forearm, causing Lawrence’s head to hit the turf hard. In response, Jaguars tight end Evan Engram pushed Al-Shaair, leading to a scuffle between the teams.
Both Al-Shaair and Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones, who left the bench and threw a punch, were ejected from the game. Engram received a personal foul penalty. As Al-Shaair was leaving the field, he was involved in another altercation with Jaguars offensive guard Brandon Scherff and had to be restrained by his own teammates.
After the hit, Trevor Lawrence was carted off the field and ruled out for the rest of the game. However, he later shared on social media that he was “home and feeling better.”
The following day, Azeez Al-Shaair took to social media to apologize to Lawrence for the hit.
Al-Shaair expressed his regret in his apology, saying, “I would never want to hurt any player with a hit, especially one that’s considered ‘late’ or ‘unnecessary.'” He also acknowledged the support Lawrence’s teammates showed, adding, “I completely understand why they stood up for him and defended him in that situation.”
In the suspension letter, NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan highlighted Azeez Al-Shaair’s history of personal fouls and described the hit on Trevor Lawrence as “unacceptable” and a serious violation of league rules. Runyan criticized Al-Shaair’s actions, stating, “Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game, its players, coaches, and fans, is concerning and does not align with the NFL’s core values.” He also warned that Al-Shaair’s repeated disregard for NFL rules jeopardizes the safety of both himself and his opponents, and such behavior will not be tolerated.
During a news conference on Tuesday, Texans general manager Nick Caserio strongly defended Azeez Al-Shaair, stating that the linebacker embodies the values the team strives for. He also took issue with the NFL’s handling of player discipline, criticizing the inconsistency in punishment for on-field infractions.
Caserio expressed frustration, saying, “Quite frankly, there’s no consistency at all in the level of discipline being handed out.” He pointed to cases such as Detroit Lions defensive back Brian Branch, who wasn’t suspended after an ejection, and Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James, who received only a one-game suspension earlier this season.
Nick Caserio expressed frustration with the NFL’s criticism of Al-Shaair, calling it “embarrassing” for the league to question the linebacker’s sportsmanship, coachability, and adherence to the rules. He disagreed with the discipline handed down and emphasized that such commentary was unfair to Al-Shaair.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans stated after the game that while the hit was “unfortunate” and not something the team coaches, it did not reflect Al-Shaair’s true character as a player. In contrast, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson described the hit as “a play that has no business in our league.”
Several players from both teams criticized the hit. Evan Engram called it “dirty,” while defensive end Josh Hines-Allen referred to it as “stupid.”
This wasn’t the first time Al-Shaair was involved in controversy. In Week 2, he made headlines for hitting Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams on the sideline as he was running out of bounds. Several Bears players defended Williams, and Al-Shaair responded by punching running back Roschon Johnson in the facemask. For that incident, he was fined $11,817.
Azeez Al-Shaair, 27, signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Houston Texans this offseason and was named a team captain for 2024. After going undrafted in 2019, he joined the San Francisco 49ers and eventually became a starter. He played for the Tennessee Titans last season.
The Texans are currently on a bye week and will resume play against the Miami Dolphins on December 15.