Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair apologized for a brutal hit he delivered against Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence on Sunday.
“I’ve always played the game as hard as I could. Never with the intent to harm anyone and anybody that knows me knows that,” Al-Shaair wrote in a note shared on social media platform X.
The linebacker said his goal is to hit hard, but “it’s not personal, it’s just competition!”
“I genuinely didn’t see him sliding until it was too late. And it all happens in the blink of an eye,” he wrote.
Al-Shaair also apologized to Lawrence and the rest of the Jacksonville squad directly.
“To Trevor [I] genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening,” he said. “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 his teammates I can definitely understand you having his back and defending him in a situation like that.”
On a second-down play from the Jacksonville 49-yard line with 4:17 left in the second quarter, Lawrence rolled out to his left and scrambled for a first down. As he slid, Al-Shaair lowered his arm and hit Lawrence squarely in the face mask with his forearm. Jaguars tight ends Evan Engram and Brenton Strange shoved Al-Shaair to the ground, which caused a bench-clearing fight between the two teams.
Al-Shaair was led off the field by head coach DeMeco Ryans and fellow linebacker Will Anderson Jr. Al-Shaair was ejected from play, as was Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones, who joined the brawl from the Jacksonville sideline. Engram was dealt a personal foul.
A second brawl nearly broke out as Al-Shaair was being led off the field. Al-Shaair took off his helmet and began shouting at Jaguars offensive lineman Brandon Scherff; several players from both teams, along with coaching staff and referees, separated the pair. Al-Shaair was escorted to the locker room by Anderson, two Texans personnel, and local law enforcement.
“It’s everything you’re not supposed to do,” NFL on Fox color commentator Daryl Johnston said during the broadcast. “Azeez Al-Shaair does everything you’re trying to prevent in this situation.”
Though Lawrence was eventually able to sit up and was carted off the field, a medical expert said that he believes the player had been seriously injured.
“Trevor Lawrence suffered a significant traumatic brain injury (#TBI) here,” Chris Nowinski, a neuroscientist and CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation posted on X Sunday afternoon. He shows a clear ‘fencing response,’ which means he is knocked out with a #concussion & deeper parts of his brain are malfunctioning. Wishing him the best.”
Lawrence sent a message to his followers on X Sunday evening letting them know he was all right.
“Thank you to everyone who has reached out / been praying for me,” he wrote. “I’m home and feeling better. Means a lot, thank you all.”
