Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair apologized Monday for his brutal hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence amid reports that a suspension is likely coming from the NFL.
Al-Shaair was ejected from Sunday’s win over the Jaguars after he delivered a blow to the head and neck of Lawrence, who had given himself up with a feet-first slide.
“I genuinely didn’t see him sliding until it was too late. And it all happens in the blink of an eye. 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 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,'” Al-Shaair posted to X on Monday.
ESPN reported that the NFL will likely suspend Al-Shaair, with the only question being for how long.
With 4:15 left in the first half, Lawrence was carrying the ball and went into a feet-first slide at Houston’s 45-yard line when Al-Shaair launched into him, delivering a forearm shot near the quarterback’s head and shoulder.
“It’s a play that has no business in our league,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson told 1010 XL Radio after the game.
Multiple skirmishes erupted as Lawrence lay prone on the field. Al-Shaair was ejected, along with Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones, while multiple penalties offsetting.
Lawrence immediately displayed the hand motion known as a fencing posture that is associated with suffering a concussion. However, he was able to stand after being attended to briefly and he sat up while being taken to the locker room on a cart.
Lawrence — who was returning from a Week 9 injury to his non-throwing shoulder — was not taken to a hospital.
Al-Shaair, 27, is a repeat offender this season alone, having just been fined $11,255 for a late hit on Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard last week. He was also fined $11,817 for punching Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson in a Week 2 game. That came after a sideline skirmish that began after Al-Shaair hit Bears quarterback Caleb William late out of bounds but wasn’t flagged.
An undrafted free agent out of FAU, Al-Shaair has 68 tackles and two sacks in 10 starts this season, his first in Houston.
He has 430 tackles, six sacks, two interceptions and four fumble recoveries in 83 career games (58 starts) for the San Francisco 49ers (2019-22), Titans (2023) and Texans.
–Field Level Media
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