Azeez Al-Shaair is suspended for the next three games. That won’t change just because fans and coaches are arguing about the decision from the NFL front office.
The Houston Texans linebacker appealed his suspension on the hit against Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, but NFLPA officer Ramon Foster chose to uphold the call. He now won’t be able to return until after Week 17’s Christmas showdown against the Baltimore Ravens.
He’ll also forfeit $112,745 per game in checks.
Azeez Al-Shaair’s suspension has sparked widespread debate around the NFL, with plenty of differing opinions about how the league handled the situation.
So @DMRussini asked coaches to weigh in.https://t.co/95ZsjPe1yN pic.twitter.com/n1st1UVs3p
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) December 7, 2024
Not everyone is on board with the call for a hit that easily could have resulted in a flag and an extra 15 yards. The Athletic’s Dianna Russini interviewed several coaches, each offering a different perspective.
One head coach said that with quarterbacks earning egregious salaries, the league will do its best to avoid them missing time.
“The NFL has to protect its $250 million investments — it’s that simple. Nobody wants to watch games with backup quarterbacks, and the league understands that. The refs do a solid job spotting the ball where the first body part touches, and fake slides aren’t really an issue anymore. After Kenny Pickett’s move, they changed the rule to mark players down if they fake a slide, so that’s been addressed.”
He also mentioned that rules must change on both sides. Defenders only have a small window to make a play, meaning coaches must change their tactics when teaching.
“But things happen fast on the field, and late slides are always going to be a gray area. Sometimes quarterbacks are going to get hit, but the key is making sure defenders aren’t targeting the head or neck with a helmet, shoulder or forearms — that’s where the big penalties come in. Defenders need to be coached to lead with their hands, not their heads. Sliding QBs lower their target area, which makes it tougher to land a clean hit.”
The head coach also said he tells his quarterbacks to dive head first like when sliding into t, thus giving them a chance to pick up a few more yards while protecting their noggins.
“I tell my quarterbacks to go for the Superman dive, like Carson Wentz used to do. You can get a few extra yards while still being protected from head and neck hits. The rules are what they are.”
He also was fined $11,255 for hitting Titans running back Tony Pollard out of bounds in Week 12’s loss at NRG Stadium.