Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair apologized to Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence on Monday morning, a day after Al-Shaair’s late and violent hit led to Lawrence being carted off the field with a concussion and sparked two ugly skirmishes during a game between the AFC South rivals at EverBank Stadium in Florida.
On a second-down play during the second quarter, Lawrence scrambled to his left then initiated a slide that should have ended the play. Instead, Al-Shaair appeared to continue at full speed, crashing into the defenseless quarterback’s facemask with his forearm.
In a lengthy X post, Al-Shaair said he “genuinely didn’t see [Lawrence] sliding until it was too late,” adding that “it all happens in the blink of an eye.”
Lawrence, who was making his first start after missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, remained on the ground for several minutes. Al-Shaair was ejected for “an illegal hit on the quarterback, unnecessary, to the neck and head area,” referee Land Clark said in a pool report.
“To Trevor I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening,” Al-Shaair wrote on X. “Before the game we spoke and I told you how great it was 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 was ruled ‘late’ or ‘unnecessary.’ ”
Lawrence was ruled out of the game with a concussion and was seen later walking out of the stadium with his wife. On Sunday night, he posted on X that he was back “home and feeling better.”
Immediately after Al-Shaair delivered the blow on Lawrence, Jaguars tight end Evan Engram shoved the Texans player for what Engram later described to reporters as “a dirty hit.”
“Trevor was going down and I saw it out of my peripheral,” said Engram, who received a personal-foul penalty for his actions during the Texans’ 23-20 win. “I got a pretty clear view of it, and in that moment, just [reacted on] instincts. It just didn’t feel like a clean hit, so just go stick up for my quarterback.
“I mean, I saw him sliding and then I saw the hit, and then just, honestly, [emotions] just took over. I just knew it was wrong. It was just a dirty play, and you stick up for your guys.”
Two separate fights broke out between the teams before Al-Shaair left the field. As he was being escorted to the locker room by teammate Will Anderson Jr., a fan threw a water bottle that hit Anderson in the helmet. That fan was ejected. Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones also was ejected from the game after leaving the bench and punching another player.
Al-Shaair addressed Lawrence’s teammates in his X post. “I can definitely understand you having his back and defending him in a situation like that,” Al-Shaair wrote.
Al-Shaair was fined $11,817 for punching Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson during a Week 2 game. He is sure to receive a fine, and possibly more severe punishment, in the coming days.
“To the rest of the people who [have called me] every single name in the book, from reporters with their hands ready for a story to find their villain, to racist and islamophobic fans and people, you don’t know my heart nor my character which I don’t need to prove to any of you,” Al-Shaair wrote. “God knows my intentions and anyone who has been a teammate or friend of mine knows my heart.”
