The three-game suspension for Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for his unlawful hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence was upheld on Wednesday.
In handing out its suspension, the NFL stated Al-Shaair has dedicated repeated violations of guidelines meant to guard the well being and security of gamers and promote sportsmanship. Al-Shaair, who was ejected from Sunday’s win over the Jaguars, appealed the suspension. His case was heard by former NFL offensive lineman Ramon Foster, at present an NFL appeals officer, and he opted to uphold the suspension.
Al-Shaair can be eligible to return to the Texans’ energetic roster following the group’s Week 17 sport in opposition to the Baltimore Ravens, so the earliest return can be January 5 in opposition to the Tennessee Titans.
Al-Shaair laid a vicious hit on Lawrence halfway by means of the second quarter of the Texans’ win. Lawrence, who was making his return to the sphere after lacking time as a consequence of a shoulder harm, scrambled up the left aspect of the sphere on a second-and-7 play and slid after touring for a 6-yard achieve. As he was nicely into his slide, Al-Shaair could possibly be seen rocketing towards Lawrence and delivering a tough hit to the quarterback’s head along with his forearm.
Lawrence was down on the sphere earlier than being carted to the locker room and ultimately dominated out as a consequence of a concussion.
In a letter to Al-Shaair, NFL vice chairman of soccer operations Jon Runyan famous the Texans linebacker has had a number of offenses for private fouls and sportsmanship-related guidelines violations in latest seasons:
“During your sport in opposition to the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 1, with 4:20 remaining within the second quarter, you have been concerned in a play that the League considers unacceptable and a critical violation of the enjoying guidelines. Video reveals you hanging the pinnacle/neck space of Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide…You led together with your forearm and helmet and delivered a forceful blow to the pinnacle/neck space of your opponent once you had time and area to keep away from such contact.”
“After the unlawful hit, you proceeded to interact in a brawl, which you escalated once you pulled an opponent all the way down to the bottom by his facemask. After the referee introduced that you simply have been disqualified for the hit and your unsportsmanlike acts, you eliminated your helmet and reengaged together with your opponent whereas strolling down and throughout the sphere, which began one other bodily confrontation close to the tip zone.
“Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the sport of soccer and all those that play, coach, and revel in watching it, is troubling and doesn’t replicate the core values of the NFL…Your continued disregard for NFL enjoying guidelines places the well being and security of each you and your opponents in jeopardy and won’t be tolerated.”
Following the choice, Al-Shaair took to social media, seemingly embracing the “villain” position. He wrote, “If you need me to be your villain, I’ll be your villain.” The put up additionally features a center finger emoji together with an array of images, together with one in every of Joaquin Phoenix’s “Joker.”
Meanwhile, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans defended Al-Shaair on Tuesday, noting how troublesome a scenario it’s for defensive gamers to deal with when a quarterback slides late. He additionally criticized the Jaguars for overreacting to the hit.
“With all the Azeez scenario, we stand behind Azeez,” Ryans stated, through KPRC2. “It’s two-fold. Plenty of quarterbacks at the present time, they attempt to make the most of the rule or they slide late they usually attempt to get an additional yard. You’re a defender, a whole lot of onus is on the defender. Whether it is on the sideline or whether or not it is on the quarterback, you do not want what a man is considering. You do not know if a man is staying up and he is persevering with to run. You do not know, and then you definately get a late slide and also you hit the man.
“It’s unlucky that Trevor bought damage. I hope Trevor is okay. But it is also, once you’re sliding, you need to get down. Getting out of bounds or getting down, that rule is there to guard the quarterbacks. We need our quarterbacks to be protected within the league. So we simply need to be protected and after we’re sliding, be sure that we’re maintaining our heads down. The total factor, Azeez hits the man, however their sideline overreacts and it turns right into a melee. But it wasn’t our guys. Their group overreacted, dragging our man, pushed our man to the sideline. So, that is uncalled for on that aspect.”
Ryans additionally lauded Al-Shaair’s character and defended him in opposition to accusations of being a unclean participant.
“He’s an distinctive chief for us. He’s a extremely good chief for us and he performs the sport the proper manner,” Ryans stated. “His intent is rarely to harm anybody as he is enjoying the sport. Anyone that is aware of Azeez, talks to Azeez — no one with an even bigger coronary heart than Azeez. This man’s a particular man that I’ve recognized since 2019. Special younger man, love working with him.
“For any image that is painted of him being a unclean participant or doing one thing intentional, that is the precise reverse of what Azeez is. People who know Azeez, they know the way he performs the sport. Yes, he performs it quick. He performs it bodily. But generally that bodily nature will get misunderstood in as we speak’s sport.”
Texans normal supervisor Nick Caserio additionally commented with robust phrases concerning the scenario and who it impacts.
“Quite frankly it is bullshit,” he stated sternly. “It’s 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 scarcity of consistency and what he sees as a misrepresentation of Al-Shaair’s character.
“I feel one of many largest points that we form of take umbrage with… is the image that is been painted of Azeez. Quite frankly, it is unfair,” he stated. “And I’d say one of many largest points… is consistency from the league. And I’d say on this scenario, fairly frankly, there is no such thing as a consistency in any respect relative to the extent of self-discipline that is been handed down.”
Caserio continued by utilizing different examples from this season, together with Detroit Lions security Brian Branch ejected in opposition to the Green Bay Packers and enjoying the following week, Los Angeles Chargers security Derwin James getting ejected then suspended for one sport and Buffalo Bills security Kareem Jackson having a number of fines and ejections earlier than he was suspended.
The GM emphasised the difficulty he sees within the commentary surrounding his participant, defending his participant with examples of his selflessness.
“There’s not a extra selfless particular person extra concerning the group who’s earned the respect, that represents all the things that we wish this system to be about. I imply this morning, he was at a United Way occasion. So we’re speaking about a few of the commentary that has been made about his character, about the person who he’s, about what’s intentions are from people who fairly frankly do not know something about Azeez Al-Shaair,” Caserio stated. “And for the league to make a few of the commentary that they made about lack of sportsmanship, lack of coachability, lack of listening to the foundations – fairly frankly it is embarrassing. And we’re speaking a couple of participant who’s by no means been suspended [and] by no means been ejected.”
