JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair issued an apology Monday morning over his late hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence during Sunday's game.
The game in Jacksonville was stopped for several minutes to sort out penalties and ejections after the hit led to a skirmish between the teams.
“To Trevor, I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening,” Al-Shaair said in a statement posted to social media. “I would never want to see any player hurt because of a hit I put on them especially one that’s deemed ‘late’ or ‘unnecessary.’”
Jacksonville was driving at the time with Houston up 6-0. Lawrence was giving himself up with a slide at the end of a run when Al-Shaair launched himself at the Jacksonville quarterback, hitting him as he was nearly down. Lawrence's head visibly hit the turf hard.
Al-Shaair said "genuinely didn’t see him sliding" until it was too late to pull up.
After the hit, a skirmish immediately broke out among players, with benches clearing as Lawrence remained down on his back on the field. Lawrence was eventually carted off to the locker room.
After several minutes, the referees sorted everything out, issuing unsportsmanlike conduct penalties to Al-Shaair, as well as Jaguars' cornerback Jarrian Jones and tight end Evan Engram. Those penalties offset.
Al-Shaair and Jones were both ejected from the game.
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 grabbed Al-Shaair and escorted him off the field when a fan threw a water bottle that hit Anderson in the helmet. The fan was later ejected.
Officials and coaches got the teams under control before play resumed. Al-Shaair was not in the locker room when it opened to reporters after the game.
Lawrence gave an update on his condition following the game.
“Thank you to everyone who has reached out/been praying for me,” Lawrence posted on X hours after the game. “I'm home and feeling much better. Means a lot. Thank you all.”
Read Al-Shaair’s full statement below:
“I’ve always played the game as hard as I could. Never with the intent to harm anyone and anybody that knows me knows that. My goal is to hit you as hard as I can then I pray you’re still able to get up and play the next play. And when the game is over go home to your family unharmed because it’s not personal it’s just competition! We both are trying to do the same thing which is provide for our families! I genuinely didn’t see him sliding until it was too late. And it all happens in the blink of an eye. To Trevor, I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening. Before the game, we spoke, and I told you how it was great 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’s deemed ‘late’ or ‘unnecessary.’ To the rest of his teammates, I can definitely understand you having his back and defending him in a situation like that. To the rest of the people who I’ve been called every single name in the book from reporters with their hands ready for a story to find their villain, to racist and Islamophobic fans and people, you don’t know my heart nor my character which I don’t need to prove to any of you. God knows my intentions and anyone who has ever been a teammate or friend of mine knows my heart.”
