Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair will serve a three-game suspension following his illegal hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The NFL upheld the suspension after Al-Shaair's appeal.
"Hearing officer Ramon Foster, jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA, has upheld the three-game suspension of Houston linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair," NFL Senior Vice President of Football & International Communications Michael Signora announced Wednesday.
The incident occurred during the first half of Sunday's game. Lawrence was sliding on a scramble when Al-Shaair appeared to hit the quarterback with a raised forearm. The hit sparked a melee between the two teams, with Jaguars tight end Evan Engram among the first to react.
Following the game, Al-Shaair addressed the public response and issued an apology, maintaining the hit was unintentional. He emphasized his commitment to playing hard but never with the intent to injure another player. Al-Shaair explained that he didn't see Lawrence slide until it was too late and apologized directly to Lawrence for the incident.
This is not Al-Shaair's first disciplinary action this season. He was previously fined for punching Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson during a Week 2 game. Following the incident with Al-Shaair, Trevor Lawrence was placed on injured reserve, ending his season.
