During Sunday’s matchup between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair knocked quarterback Trevor Lawrence out of the game with a concussion.
Only…it wasn’t quite that straightforward.
Al-Shaair hit a sliding Lawrence with one of the dirtiest hits you’ll see in the NFL this season. It led to his ejection and will also likely come with a fine and a suspension.
The hit sparked multiple on-field melees and led to widespread criticism, including from New York Giants legend Michael Strahan, who lit into Al-Shaair during the FOX Sports halftime show.
Fox studio guys weigh in on Azeez Al-Shaair's cheap shot against Trevor Lawrence. pic.twitter.com/inYoDdB0tF
— The Comeback NFL (@TheComebackNFL) December 1, 2024
“I think he threw himself out of the game,” Strahan said, via the New York Post. “I personally think he did that because he realized if he had stayed in that game, he was not going to be protected for that game because what he did — everybody knows as a defensive player — you don’t do that.
“They’re just getting Trevor Lawrence back. Out two games with a shoulder injury. You hate to see that happen to him on something that’s just so unnecessary because regardless of offense and defense and how you feel, you do protect your players. You protect your guys. We have a lot of respect for each other out there on the field, even when you’re competing. That was uncalled for.”
Al-Shaair expressed no remorse immediately after the hit, ripping his helmet off while flexing and threatening to fight multiple players and fans.
Lawrence was eventually carted to the locker room and diagnosed with a concussion, his second in less than a calendar year. After the game, he left the stadium with his wife, Marissa, and posted an encouraging update on X.
