HOUSTON -- Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair took to social media Monday morning to apologize to the Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence after his violent blow to the quarterback's face mask caused the quarterback to sustain a concussion.
Back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, Lawrence scrambled left on a second-and-7 play in the second quarter of Houston's 23-20 victory Sunday. He initiated a slide before Al-Shaair raised his forearm and unleashed on the defenseless quarterback.
In the post, Al-Shaair, who was ejected for the hit, first said that he didn't see Lawrence sliding until "it was too late" and that it happened "in the blink of an eye" before saying he was sorry for the hit.
"To Trevor i genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening," Al-Shaair wrote. "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 clenched both fists after the hit -- movements consistent with what's referred to as the "fencing response," which can be common after a traumatic brain injury. He was on the ground for several minutes as teammates came to his defense and mobbed Al-Shaair.
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 Sunday. Jaguars rookie cornerback Jarrian Jones also was ejected for throwing a punch during the melee.
As Al-Shaair was leaving the field, fans started screaming at him. Jaguars veteran guard Brandon Scherff joined in, prompting another altercation with Al-Shaair. Texans teammate Will Anderson Jr. grabbed Al-Shaair and was escorting him off the field when a fan threw a water bottle and hit Anderson in the helmet. The fan was later ejected.
Al-Shaair said in his statement that he understood why Jacksonville's players came to the defense of Lawrence in the brawl following the hit.
"I can definitely understand you having his back and defending him in a situation like that," Al-Shaair wrote.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans, however, said Monday that he believes Jaguars players "overreacted" to the late hit.
"We stand behind the Azeez and everything that came from that. Of course, an unfortunate hit on the quarterback. But it's also two-fold. A lot of the quarterbacks in this day and age, they try to take advantage of the rule, where they slide late, and they try to get an extra yard, and you're a defender, a lot of onus is on the defender, whether it's on the sideline or where it's on the quarterback," he said.
"Azeez hits the guy, but their sideline overreacts, and it turns out, it turns into a melee. It wasn't our guys, their team overreacted, pushed our guy, dragging our guy to the sideline. So that's uncalled for on that side. We had to be better on the sidelines as well. We don't have to overreact just because a guy gets hurt. We're not intentionally trying to hurt anyone. I think there's an overreaction when someone gets hurt. We'll just have to look at it all from all perspectives."
Lawrence posted on social media Sunday night, saying he's home and "feeling better."
"Thank you to everyone who has reached out / been praying for me," he posted to X. "I'm home and feeling better. Means a lot, thank you all."
Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said Monday that the Jaguars would wait until Lawrence clears the concussion protocol before deciding whether to shut him down for the remainder of the season. He also said they would take Lawrence's sprained left AC joint into consideration, though he added that injury did not get aggravated by the hit.
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