Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair received a three-game violation by the NFL for repeated violations of rules intended to protect the health and safety of players and promote sportsmanship. Al-Shaair was ejected from Sunday's win over the Jacksonville Jaguars for his illegal hit on Trevor Lawrence.
Al-Shaair is appealing the suspension, and his case will be heard Wednesday by former NFL offensive lineman Ramon Foster, per ESPN.
As it stands now, Al-Shaair will be eligible to return to the Texans' active roster following the team's Week 17 game against the Baltimore Ravens, so the earliest return will be January 5 against the Tennessee Titans.
Al-Shaair laid a vicious hit on Lawrence midway through the second quarter of the Texans win. Lawrence, who was making his return to the field after missing time due to a shoulder injury, scrambled up the left side of the field on a second-and-7 play and slid after traveling for a 6-yard gain. As he was well into his slide, Al-Shaair could be seen rocketing toward Lawrence and delivering a hard hit to the quarterback's head with his forearm.
Lawrence was down on the field before being carted to the locker room and eventually ruled out due to a concussion.
In a letter to Al-Shaair, NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan noted the Texans linebacker has had multiple offenses for personal fouls and sportsmanship-related rules violations in recent seasons:
"During your game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 1, with 4:20 remaining in the second quarter, you were involved in a play that the League considers unacceptable and a serious violation of the playing rules. Video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars' quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide...You led with your forearm and helmet and delivered a forceful blow to the head/neck area of your opponent when you had time and space to avoid such contact."
"After the illegal hit, you proceeded to engage in a brawl, which you escalated when you pulled an opponent down to the ground by his facemask. After the referee announced that you were disqualified for the hit and your unsportsmanlike acts, you removed your helmet and reengaged with your opponent while walking down and across the field, which started another physical confrontation near the end zone.
"Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL…Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated."
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans defended Al-Shaair on Tuesday, noting how difficult a situation it is for defensive players to handle when a quarterback slides late. He also criticized the Jaguars for overreacting to the hit.
"With the entire Azeez situation, we stand behind Azeez," Ryans said, via KPRC2. "It's two-fold. A lot of quarterbacks in this day and age, they try to take advantage of the rule or they slide late and they try to get an extra yard. You're a defender, a lot of onus is on the defender. Whether it's on the sideline or whether it's on the quarterback, you don't need what a guy is thinking. You don't know if a guy is staying up and he's continuing to run. You don't know, and then you get a late slide and you hit the guy.
"It's unfortunate that Trevor got hurt. I hope Trevor is okay. But it's also, when you're sliding, you have to get down. Getting out of bounds or getting down, that rule is there to protect the quarterbacks. We want our quarterbacks to be safe in the league. So we just have to be safe and when we're sliding, make sure we're keeping our heads down. The entire thing, Azeez hits the guy, but their sideline overreacts and it turns into a melee. But it wasn't our guys. Their team overreacted, dragging our guy, pushed our guy to the sideline. So, that's uncalled for on that side."
Ryans also lauded Al-Shaair's character and defended him against accusations of being a dirty player.
"He's an exceptional leader for us. He's a really good leader for us and he plays the game the right way," Ryans said. "His intent is never to hurt anyone as he's playing the game. Anyone that knows Azeez, talks to Azeez -- nobody with a bigger heart than Azeez. This guy's a special guy that I've known since 2019. Special young man, love working with him.
"For any picture that's painted of him being a dirty player or doing something intentional, that's the exact opposite of what Azeez is. People who know Azeez, they know how he plays the game. Yes, he plays it fast. He plays it physical. But sometimes that physical nature gets misunderstood in today's game."
Texans general manager Nick Caserio also commented with strong words about the situation and who it impacts.
"Quite frankly it's bullshit," he said sternly. "It's unfair to the individual, it's unfair to the individual, it's unfair to the organization."
He called out the NFL for what he calls a lack of consistency and what he sees as a misrepresentation of Al-Shaair's character.
"I think one of the biggest issues that we sort of take umbrage with... is the picture that's been painted of Azeez. Quite frankly, it's unfair," he said. "And I'd say one of the biggest issues... is consistency from the league. And I'd say in this situation, quite frankly, there is no consistency at all relative to the level of discipline that's been handed down."
Caserio continued by using other examples from this season, including Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch ejected against the Green Bay Packers and playing the next week, Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James getting ejected then suspended for one game and Buffalo Bills safety Kareem Jackson having multiple fines and ejections before he was suspended.
The GM emphasized the issue he sees in the commentary surrounding his player, defending his player with examples of his selflessness.
"There's not a more selfless individual more about the team who's earned the respect, that represents everything that we want the program to be about. I mean this morning, he was at a United Way event. So we're talking about some of the commentary that has been made about his character, about the person that he is, about what is intentions are from people that quite frankly don't know anything about Azeez Al-Shaair," Caserio said. "And for the league to make some of the commentary that they made about lack of sportsmanship, lack of coachability, lack of paying attention to the rules - quite frankly it's embarrassing. And we're talking about a player who's never been suspended [and] never been ejected."
