Houston, TX – In a recent turn of events, Houston Texans outside linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair will be suspended for three games after his appeal was denied on Wednesday. The league officially announced that Al-Shaair’s suspension is a result of an illegal hit he made on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence during a game last Sunday, which the Texans won 23-20.
The appeal hearing was conducted by hearing officer Ramon Foster, who was appointed jointly by both the NFL and the NFL Players Association. With the suspension upheld, Al-Shaair will now miss the Texans’ upcoming games against the Miami Dolphins (Week 15), the Kansas City Chiefs (Week 16), and the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day. However, he is expected to be eligible to return for the Texans’ final game of the season against the Tennessee Titans in Week 18.
On social media, Al-Shaair responded to the situation with a bold statement, saying, “if you want me to be your villain, I’ll be your villain,” followed by a middle finger emoji. The troubling hit occurred when Lawrence slid to give himself up, only to be struck by Al-Shaair’s forearm, resulting in Lawrence entering a fencing position on the field. This incident triggered some skirmishing between players from both teams, leading to Al-Shaair’s eventual ejection from the game.
The Jaguars have since placed Lawrence on injured reserve, and he will also undergo shoulder surgery, which adds to the severity of his situation. NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan criticized Al-Shaair’s actions, stating that the linebacker showed a lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game, which cannot be tolerated.
While this is Al-Shaair’s first suspension, he has a track record of controversial plays, including incidents during his previous tenure with the San Francisco 49ers. Nonetheless, he is still a vital part of the Texans’ lineup, having contributed significantly this season with 68 tackles, two sacks, and four pass breakups in ten starts.
This week, the Texans have a bye, giving the team time to adjust without Al-Shaair before facing a challenging schedule ahead. The team currently leads the AFC South and will be looking to maintain their momentum when they return to action in Week 15.
