HOUSTON (AP) — Azeez Al-Shaair of the Houston Texans took to X on Monday morning to express his regret to Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence after a severe hit left the quarterback with a concussion and forced him to be carted off the field.
Lawrence, returning as a starter after missing two games due to a sprained left shoulder, scrambled left on a second-and-7 play in the second quarter during the Texans’ 23-20 victory on Sunday. As he went for a slide, Al-Shaair made contact with the quarterback’s facemask using his forearm.
In a lengthy statement posted online, Al-Shaair explained that he didn’t notice Lawrence’s sliding motion until it was “too late” and that the incident occurred rapidly. He extended his heartfelt apologies to Lawrence, emphasizing, “I would never want to see any player hurt because of a hit I put on them, especially one that was deemed ‘late’ or ‘unnecessary.’”
After the hit, Lawrence displayed a physical response often associated with traumatic brain injuries, known as the “fencing response.” He remained on the ground for several minutes while his teammates defended him and confronted Al-Shaair.
Houston’s head coach, DeMeco Ryans, noted that plays like this are challenging for defenders. He remarked, “It’s unfortunate for the quarterback. In today’s game, many quarterbacks attempt to take advantage of the rules by sliding late to gain extra yards, which places significant responsibility on defenders.”
Ryans further explained, “You can’t anticipate a player’s intentions. A last-minute slide can lead to a late hit. It’s unfortunate Trevor got hurt, and we hope he is okay. But as players, we need to be mindful of our actions when sliding.”
Al-Shaair was ejected from the game for delivering an illegal hit on Lawrence, targeting the neck and head area, according to referee Land Clark. During the subsequent commotion, Jaguars rookie cornerback Jarrian Jones was also ejected for throwing a punch.
As Al-Shaair left the field, he faced backlash from fans, with Jaguars veteran guard Brandon Scherff contributing to the tension, leading to another altercation. As Texans teammate Will Anderson escorted Al-Shaair away, a fan threw a water bottle, hitting Anderson’s helmet, which resulted in the fan’s ejection.
In his post, Al-Shaair acknowledged the emotions of Jacksonville’s players defending Lawrence during the skirmish: “I understand why you would have his back in that situation.” However, Ryans criticized the Jaguars’ response, stating, “Their sideline overreacted, creating unnecessary chaos.”
Al-Shaair also addressed negative reactions from media and fans, expressing frustration about being unfairly labeled after the incident. He wrote, “To those who have condemned me, you don’t know my character or my intentions. God knows my heart.”
Jaguars coach Doug Pederson remarked that such plays “should not be part of our league,” a sentiment echoed by Ryans, who clarified that such actions are not what they coach. Earlier in the season, Al-Shaair had faced penalties and fines for previous unsportsmanlike conduct, including a late hit on a Titans running back and a separate incident involving a punch thrown during another game.
As a professional in his sixth year, Al-Shaair is likely to receive a fine for the hit on Lawrence and may also face suspension. In his initial statement, he stressed that he plays the game hard but never with the intent to injure anyone: “I aim to hit you as hard as I can and hope you can play the next play. When the game ends, my wish is for everyone to go home unharmed because it’s all about competition and providing for our families.”
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AP Sports Writer Mark Long contributed to this report.
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