The Jacksonville Jaguars They may have come up short against the Houston Texans on Sunday, but the players made sure they got their licks in after a huge hit that knocked out quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Lawrence suffered a concussion when he was hit around the head and neck Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. Lawrence slipped during a struggle when Al-Shaair came through and cracked him.
The tackle caused a brief commotion and ended with Al-Shaair and Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones being ejected from the game. Jaguars tight end Evan Engram was also penalized for unnecessary roughness.
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Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, #16, slides down the field for Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, #0, in the second quarter during the second quarter at EverBank Stadium on December 1, 2024 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
Engram called Al-Shaair’s goal “dirty” and felt he had to defend Lawrence at that moment.
“It was just instinct,” he said via the Jaguars site. “It didn’t feel like a clean hit, so just stand up for him. I saw him slide and then I saw the hit. I just knew it was wrong. I knew it was a dirty play.”
Jaguars defensive back Josh Allen-Hines didn’t like the play either. He did not say whether Al-Shair should be suspended.
“That was a gut punch on his part,” Allen-Hines said: via ESPN. “At the end of the day he’s just playing football, but again, the way we’ve changed the rules of how we play, we discuss these things.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, No. 16, slides down the field as Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, No. 0, makes a late hit during the second quarter of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, FL. (Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union)
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“We talk about these things. We know how to play football. A few years ago that would have been a big hit, but now it wasn’t a good move for him. I’m not going to sit there and say: does he deserve to be suspended? or not? That wasn’t smart at the time.’
Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said the incident was “a play that no one in our league wants to see.” He added that he expected the NFL to impose fines on those involved in the fight.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans regretted Al-Shaair’s goal.
“It’s a shame about the hit with Azeez,” he said via Pro football talk. “That’s not what we coach. We want to be smart in everything we do and not hurt the team. … We just have to be smarter when the quarterback goes down. It’s an unfortunate play. It’s not representative of who Azeez is a smart player and a really great leader for us. We felt his presence wasn’t there, his loss really affected us on the defensive side.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, No. 16, leaves the field on a cart after being injured on a late hit by Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shair, No. 0, during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, 1 December 2024 in Jacksonville, Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
“It’s not what we coach. I didn’t want to see the fight and the whole aftermath. It’s not what it’s about. It’s not representative of us. I’ll talk to Azeez, address him personally, and we’ll move on from it. “
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Houston won the match 23-20.
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