Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence sustained a hit on Sunday against the Houston Texans that will knock him out indefinitely.
It was the hit seen around the world. While Trevor Lawrence was having far from the best season of his campaign, the hit he sustained is likely to be what is remembered from his entire year. Seemingly everyone, including former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman, had thoughts on the tackle.
On Sunday, Trevor Lawrence slid to the ground on a routine scramble play, but linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair didn’t stop. The linebacker dove into the quarterback, striking him in the head and knocking him out of the game.
Since the hit, the Jacksonville Jaguars have been officially eliminated from playoff contention. As the controversy continue to drag into Week 14, the linebacker has taken to Twitter/X to respond to the situation.
Azeez Al-Shaair’s response draws criticism
Per “First Take,” the linebacker’s response to the suspension was to declare himself a villain, refusing to claim responsibility.
“If you want me to be your villain, I’ll be your villain! See you soon…” he posted.
Speaking in response to the post on a December 5 edition of “First Take,” former Cowboys and Giants veteran Chris Canty expressed frustration with the linebacker.
“I guess that’s my most frustrating part about what Al-Shaair did yesterday. We’re taking to social media because he showed no contrition after his head coach and general manager tried to defend his character [after] the incident and in response to the scathing rebuke that Jon Runyan gave not only for the hit, but for the aftermath and his part in the melee that ensued,” he said.
“So he completely misses the mark. It’s completely tone-deaf. And I just hope that over the three-game suspension, he has an opportunity to refocus and get back to doing what he does best, which is leading that Texas defense because he’s a key part of that locker room,” he added.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans came out in defense of the linebacker, pointing at the ensuing melee that took place after the hit. Texans GM Nick Caserio also pointed out the state of the tackling rules as a problem in their own right.
When will Azeez Al-Shaair return?
The Texans linebacker is expected to miss the next three games due to suspension. It doesn’t guarantee he will return in Week 18, but it does make him eligible to return. If all goes according to schedule, Al-Shaair will return against the Tennessee Titans in the season finale.
Of course, considering how things shake out, the Texans may wish to rest their starters for the game, which could include Al-Shaair. This would potentially set him up to play his first game in a month in the Wild Card round of the NFL playoffs.
