On the play, Texans nickel Jimmie Ward was nearby as he was in the vicinity of the collision. Many have said Lawrence slid too late to protect himself. Several others have emphasized that shouldn’t matter.

“I feel like he slid late,” Ward said. “It’s a matter of seconds. You’ve got to make your mind up. I’ve been in these situations where the quarterback tries to get those extra yards instead of just giving himself up. I’m not saying who’s right or who’s wrong. I’m praying for Trevor and I hope he’s okay. Azeez plays real hard. That’s his mentality. He plays hard. I don’t think he tried to do it on purpose. It’s a matter of seconds and he’s trying to stop him from getting the first down.”

Lawrence appeared to be briefly unconscious before being ruled out for the remainder of the game with a concussion. Lawrence absorbed an elbow-forearm blow to his facemask. Lawrence was not taken to a hospital and later gave a positive update on social media.

“Thank you to everyone who has reached out / been praying for me,” Lawrence wrote. “I’m home and feeling better.”

A sliding Lawrence, normally afforded protection from a huge hit like this one as a quarterback who was down on the field skidding across the turf, was absolutely nailed in the chin by Al-Shaair as he launched himself into the tackle to stop a sliding Lawrence. The Texans have a bye next week followed by a home game against the Miami Dolphins the following week.

“It’s unfortunate with the hit, with Azeez,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “You know, it’s not what we’re coaching. Want to be smart in everything we do and not hurt the team, get a penalty there. Have to be smarter when the quarterback is going down. Unfortunate play, not representative of who Azeez is.

“He’s a smart player, really great leader for us. We felt his presence not being there. His loss really affected us on the defensive side. Just not what we’re coaching. Didn’t want to see the melee and all the aftermath. That’s not what we’re about. Not representative of us. I’ll talk to Azeez, address him personally, and we’ll move forward from it.”

Al-Shaair, signed to a three-year, $34 million contract this offseason, is a team captain who was involved in a controversial play earlier this season when he had a questionable hit on Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams in the second week of the season.

Surrounded by Bears players on their sideline, Al-Shaair punched running back Roschon Johnson. The punch didn’t draw a penalty, but the league office fined Al-Shaair $11,817. Al-Shaair has never been suspended during his six years in the NFL after going undrafted out

It’s unfortunate with the hit, with Azeez,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “You know, it’s not what we’re coaching. Want to be smart in everything we do and not hurt the team, get a penalty there. Have to be smarter when the quarterback is going down. Unfortunate play, not representative of who Azeez is.

“He’s a smart player, really great leader for us. We felt his presence not being there. His loss really affected us on the defensive side. Just not what we’re coaching. Didn’t want to see the melee and all the aftermath. That’s not what we’re about. Not representative of us. I’ll talk to Azeez, address him personally, and we’ll move forward from it.”

Al-Shaair, signed to a three-year, $34 million contract this offseason, is a team captain who was involved in a controversial play earlier this season when he had a questionable hit on Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams in the second week of the season.

Surrounded by Bears players on their sideline, Al-Shaair punched running back Roschon Johnson. The punch didn’t draw a penalty, but the league office fined Al-Shaair $11,817. Al-Shaair has never been suspended during his six years in the NFL after going undrafted out of Florida Atlantic.

This latest situation has drawn heavy criticism, especially from Jaguars players.

“It was a dirty hit,” sEngram, who wasn’t ejected after shoving Al-Shaair to the ground, told Jacksonville reporters. “Obviously those hits are always in question. Trevor was going down and I saw it out of my peripheral, I got a pretty clear view of it, and in that moment, just instincts. It just didn’t feel like a clean hit, so just go stick up for my quarterback. I mean, I saw him sliding and then I saw the hit, and then just, honestly, it just took over. I just knew it was wrong. It was just a dirty play, and you stick up for your guys.”

Added Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen: “That was a dumb hit on his part. At the end of the day he’s just playing football, but the way we’ve changed the rules of how we play, we go over these things. We talk about these things. We know how to play football. A couple of years ago, that would’ve been a great hit, but now that wasn’t a good play on him. I am not going to sit up there and say, does he deserve to get suspended or not. That’s not my call at that moment. It wasn’t smart.”

After the pair of fights, Al-Shaair was ejected, per referee Land Clark to a pool reporter for “an illegal hit on the quarterback, unnecessary, to the neck and head area.”

Al-Shaair and Jaguars offensive guard Brandon Scherff argued before teammates Joe Mixon and Henry To’oTo’o intervened along with Will Anderson Jr. who was struck by a water bottle while walking Al-Shaair to the locker room. That fan was ejected.

Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones was ejected after leaving the bench to throw a punch at a Texans player.

The hit came at the close of Lawrence’s six-yard run and left him down on the ground with his arms in a fencing posture common from brain injuries. He was carted off the field. He wrote on social media Sunday night that he’s home and “feeling better.”

Texans players, including quarterback C.J. Stroud, expressed concern for Lawrence as well as support for Al-Shaair.

“I just want to say prayers to Trevor, I really hope and pray he’s okay,” Stroud said. “Prayers to his family as well. But, yeah, still rocking with Azeez. I don’t think that was his intent, and I pray that Trevor is okay and his family is right there with him.”

Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said: “It’s a play that really has no business being in our league.”

Several players, including former NFL safety Ryan Clark were critical of Al-Shaair on social media.

“That’s bull by Azeez Al-Shaair!!” Clark wrote. “You just dive over the QB’s head when they slide. You make sure they go down but you don’t go to the players helmet like that. I 100% agree with an ejection. And 100% there’s supposed to be a fight! Jaguars did the right thing.

Lawrence was down on the ground and groggy for several minutes and appeared to use the fencing involuntary hand movement that is indicative of a serious concussion. He was carted off the field. Lawrence’s reaction to the hit was reminiscent of how Miami Dolphins oft-concussed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa moved his hands involuntarily after a concussion earlier this season.

Fox broadcaster Daryl Johnston, a retired former Dallas Cowboys fullback, was highly critical of Al-Shaair during the broadcast.

“It’s everything you’re not supposed to do,” Johnston said. “Everything. You’ll see this in slow motion and Azeez Al-Shaair does everything you’re trying to prevent in this situation. It’s reckless. It’s disrespectful.

“There’s an honor that you give to your opponent on the football field and you respect him. And there’s opportunities to be physical and give big hits and play this game in that manner. And there’s other times when there’s a respect that you grant to your opponent.”

Aaron Wilson is a contributor to Sports Talk 790.

Chris Gordy

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