Punishment has been doled out for a scary hit over the weekend.
Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair has been suspended three video games by the NFL for his late hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the league introduced Tuesday.
The incident occurred in Sunday’s outing. As Lawrence slid after a rush to keep away from contact, Al-Shaair got here in for a success that went proper on the QB’s head, igniting a brawl between the 2 groups. Lawrence stayed down after the play and was in the end carted off the sector with a concussion.
The discharge from the league said that the size of Al-Shaair’s suspension is predicated on “repeated violations of guidelines meant to guard the well being and security of gamers and promote sportsmanship.”
“Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the sport of soccer and all those that play, coach, and luxuriate in watching it, is troubling and doesn’t replicate the core values of the NFL,” NFL vice chairman of soccer operations Jon Runyan stated within the assertion. “Your continued disregard for NFL taking part in guidelines places the well being and security of each you and your opponents in jeopardy and won’t be tolerated.”
Following the hit, a brawl broke out between the 2 sides, with Al-Shaair pulling an opponent all the way down to the bottom by his facemask, additional escalating the tensions. Then, after being faraway from the sport, he eliminated his helmet and continued to interact with the Jaguars whereas strolling off, prompting one other confrontation close to the top zone.
After the sport, Al-Shaair provided an apology to Lawrence and the Jaguars.
“To Trevor, I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up taking place. Earlier than the sport, we spoke and I advised you the way it was nice to see you again out on the sector and wished you properly,” he stated in a publish to social media. “I might by no means need to see any participant damage due to a success I placed on them particularly one which’s deemed ‘late’ or ‘pointless.’ To the remainder of his teammates, I can undoubtedly perceive you having his again and defending him in a state of affairs like that.”
Al-Shaair is slated to return in Week 18 in opposition to the Tennessee Titans, the ultimate week of the common season, and can miss video games in opposition to the Miami Dolphins, Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens.
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson, in the meantime, stated Monday that no determination has been made but on Lawrence’s availability for the remainder of the season. The QB is within the concussion protocol. Jacksonville is at the moment 2-10 and sits final within the AFC East.
