The Houston Texans triumphed over the Jacksonville Jaguars in a Week 13 AFC South showdown, but the victory was overshadowed by an aggressive hit from Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair on a sliding Trevor Lawrence. The controversial hit knocked Lawrence out of the game, sparking a brawl between the two teams. Lawrence was carted off the field, while Al-Shaair was ejected and is expected to face a fine from the league.
After the game, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans expressed regret over the illegal hit, stating that it did not reflect the team’s coaching or Al-Shaair’s character. However, during a Monday press conference, Ryans shifted his stance, offering strong support for Al-Shaair. “We stand behind Azeez,” Ryans said, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.
Ryans also seemed to place some blame on Lawrence, suggesting that quarterbacks today often take advantage of the rules by sliding late to gain extra yards. He stated, “You don’t know if a guy’s staying up or continuing to run, and then you get a late slide and hit the guy.”
Regarding the ensuing fight after Lawrence was hit, Ryans claimed that the Jaguars overreacted. “It wasn’t our guys. Their team overreacted, pushed our guy, dragging our guy to the sideline. So, that’s uncalled for on that side,” he said.
The hit has drawn strong reactions, with Jaguars players criticizing it as “dirty” and “dumb,” and head coach Doug Pederson also condemning Al-Shaair. Even Rex Ryan, while agreeing the hit was dirty, suggested that Lawrence’s late slide contributed to the helmet-to-helmet contact, and called for a change in how quarterbacks are taught to slide.
Although the league has not yet decided if Al-Shaair will face a suspension, his previous late hit on Caleb Williams in Week 2 may influence the league’s decision. That incident, where Al-Shaair hit Williams as the rookie QB was running out of bounds, also led to a confrontation between players.
Al-Shaair released a statement expressing regret over his hit on Lawrence, emphasizing that it was never his intention to hurt anyone. The Texans will have a bye week in Week 14, while the Jaguars will face the Tennessee Titans. Lawrence, who was starting again after a shoulder injury in Week 10, will be sidelined due to a head injury, with Mac Jones stepping in during his absence.
Read more:https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/texans_demeco_ryans_fires_4_word_message_after_controversial_trevor_lawrence_hit/s1_17114_41339087