The National Football League (NFL) has suspended Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair three games for violating player safety rules after a hit to the head of Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The suspension was announced by NFL Vice President of Policy and Rules Administration Jon Runyan, who deemed the hit “unacceptable” due to Al-Shaair’s lack of contact avoidance techniques.
The incident occurred during Sunday’s game between Houston and Jacksonville, where Al-Shaair struck Lawrence in the face mask while he was sliding on the ground. The hit resulted in a concussion for Lawrence, who remained on the field for several minutes before being attended to by his teammates.
Al-Shaair initially apologized on social media for the incident, stating that he didn’t see Lawrence’s slide until it was too late and that he would never want to cause another player harm.
However, Jaguars coach Doug Pederson expressed concern over the Jaguars’ reaction to the incident, saying they “overreacted” to the late hit. Meanwhile, Texans general manager Nick Caserio defended Al-Shaair, citing a perceived lack of consistency in the league’s discipline.
The suspension will be appealed by Al-Shaair, who could potentially serve the full three games if his appeal is denied.
Source: https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/42754382/texans-azeez-al-shaair-suspended-3-games-trevor-lawrence-hit