Texans’ Azeez Al-Shaair suspended 3 video games via NFL for hit on Trevor Lawrence

The NFL has introduced a three-game suspension for Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for repeated violations of laws meant to give protection to the well being and protection of gamers and advertise sportsmanship. Al-Shaair used to be ejected from Sunday’s win over the Jacksonville Jaguars for his hit on Trevor Lawrence.

Al-Shaair laid a vicious hit on Lawrence halfway via the second one quarter of the Texans win. Lawrence, who used to be making his go back to the sector after lacking time because of a shoulder damage, scrambled up the left aspect of the sector on a second-and-7 play and slid after touring for a 6-yard achieve. As he used to be smartly into his slide, Al-Shaair may well be noticed rocketing towards Lawrence and handing over a difficult hit to the quarterback’s head along with his forearm. 

Lawrence used to be down at the box earlier than being carted to the locker room and ultimately dominated out because of a concussion. 

In a letter to Al-Shaair, NFL Vice President of Soccer Operations Jon Runyan famous the Texans linebacker has had more than one offenses for private fouls and sportsmanship-related laws violations in contemporary seasons:

“Right through your sport towards the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 1, with 4:20 last in the second one quarter, you had been concerned with a play that the League considers unacceptable and a significant violation of the enjoying laws. Video displays you placing the top/neck space of Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he obviously is going down in a feet-first slide…You led along with your forearm and helmet and delivered a forceful blow to the top/neck space of your opponent whilst you had time and house to keep away from such touch.”

“After the unlawful hit, you proceeded to have interaction in a brawl, which you escalated whilst you pulled an opponent right down to the bottom via his facemask.  After the referee introduced that you just had been disqualified for the hit and your unsportsmanlike acts, you got rid of your helmet and reengaged along with your opponent whilst strolling down and around the box, which began any other bodily war of words close to the tip zone. 

“Your loss of sportsmanship and admire for the sport of soccer and all those that play, trainer, and revel in gazing it, is troubling and does now not replicate the core values of the NFL…Your persevered forget for NFL enjoying laws places the well being and protection of each you and your combatants in jeopardy and is probably not tolerated.”

Al-Shaair can be eligible to go back to the Texans’ lively roster following the staff’s Week 17 sport towards the Baltimore Ravens, so the earliest go back can be January 5 towards the Tennessee Titans. Al-Shaair can enchantment the suspension, according to the NFL CBA, and can be suspended with out pay. 

Texans trainer DeMeco Ryans defended Al-Shaair on Tuesday, noting how tricky a scenario it’s for defensive gamers to take care of when a quarterback slides overdue. He additionally criticized the Jaguars for overreacting to the hit. 

“With all the Azeez scenario, we stand at the back of Azeez,” Ryans stated, by means of KPRC2. “It is two-fold. Numerous quarterbacks this present day, they are trying to make the most of the rule of thumb or they slide overdue and they are trying to get an additional backyard. You are a defender, numerous onus is at the defender. Whether or not it is at the sideline or whether or not it is at the quarterback, you don’t want what a man is pondering. You do not know if a man is staying up and he is proceeding to run. You do not know, and then you definitely get a overdue slide and also you hit the fellow. 

“It is unlucky that Trevor were given harm. I am hoping Trevor is fine. However it is also, if you end up sliding, you need to get down. Getting out of bounds or getting down, that rule is there to give protection to the quarterbacks. We would like our quarterbacks to be secure within the league. So we simply should be secure and once we’re sliding, be sure we are holding our heads down. All of the factor, Azeez hits the fellow, however their sideline overreacts and it turns right into a melee. But it surely wasn’t our guys. Their staff overreacted, dragging our man, driven our man to the sideline. So, that is uncalled for on that aspect.”

Ryans additionally lauded Al-Shaair’s personality and defended him towards accusations of being a filthy participant.

“He is an outstanding chief for us. He is a truly excellent chief for us and he performs the sport the fitting method,” Ryans stated. “His intent isn’t to harm any person as he is enjoying the sport. Somebody that is aware of Azeez, talks to Azeez — no one with a larger middle than Azeez. This man’s a unique man that I have identified since 2019. Particular younger guy, love operating with him. 

“For any image that is painted of him being a filthy participant or doing one thing intentional, that is the complete opposite of what Azeez is. Individuals who know Azeez, they know the way he performs the sport. Sure, he performs it rapid. He performs it bodily. However once in a while that bodily nature will get misunderstood in as of late’s sport.”

Texans common supervisor Nick Caserio additionally commented with sturdy phrases concerning the scenario and who it affects.

“Fairly frankly it is bullshit,” he stated sternly. “It is unfair to the person, it is unfair to the person, it is unfair to the group.”

He known as out the NFL for what he calls a loss of consistency and what he sees as a misrepresentation of Al-Shaair’s personality.

“I believe probably the most greatest problems that we kind of take umbrage with… is the image that is been painted of Azeez. Fairly frankly, it is unfair,” he stated. “And I might say probably the most greatest problems… is consistency from the league. And I might say on this scenario, slightly frankly, there is not any consistency in any respect relative to the extent of self-discipline that is been passed down.”

Caserio persevered via the usage of different examples from this season, together with Detroit Lions protection Brian Department ejected towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers and enjoying the following week, Los Angeles Chargers protection Derwin James getting ejected then suspended for one sport and Buffalo Expenses protection Kareem Jackson having more than one fines and ejections earlier than he used to be suspended.

The GM emphasised the problem he sees within the statement surrounding his participant, protecting his participant with examples of his selflessness.

“There is now not a extra selfless particular person extra concerning the staff who is earned the glory, that represents the entirety that we wish this system to be about. I imply this morning, he used to be at a United Means match. So we are speaking about one of the statement that has been made about his personality, about the person who he’s, about what’s intentions are from those that slightly frankly do not know the rest about Azeez Al-Shaair,” Caserio stated. “And for the league to make one of the statement that they made about loss of sportsmanship, loss of coachability, loss of being attentive to the principles – slightly frankly it is embarrassing. And we are speaking a few participant who is by no means been suspended [and] by no means been ejected.”