Tag: Azeez Al-Shaair injury

Even Tom Brady is defending Azeez Al-Shaair after controversial hit on Trevor Lawrence

If the G.O.A.T. has a problem with Azeez Al-Shaair’s suspension, the NFL might be in the wrong.

If someone sneezed wrong on Tom Brady, a 15-yard penalty would be in the works. That’s how much respect the seven-time Super Bowl champion earned during his two-decade career while serving as the face of the NFL.

Brady also knows that the NFL is a violent game, meaning agonizing hits will be a part of the sport, especially against the quarterback. On Sunday, that was made clear when Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair drilled Jacksonville Jaguars Trevor Lawrence while he was trying to slide for a first down.

When asked about the play and eventual suspension on FS1’s “The Herd,” Brady was sympathetic to Al-Shaair and other defensive players.

“Certainly for Trevor Lawrence, nobody wants to see anybody get hurt, but it also is the reality of a very physical sport that we play,” Brady said. “But defensive players have to be aggressive. That’s their nature. I always tried to be aggressive on offense and at the same time, the defense tries to tackle aggressively.”

Lawrence, who had just returned to the lineup after missing two games with a shoulder injury, began to slide right before the first down marker after a pickup of six. As the slide began, Al-Shaair left his feet and led with his forearm toward the quarterback’s face, resulting in Lawrence’s head hitting the turf.

Following a brawl between the two teams, Lawerence left the field on a cart and was ruled out with a concussion.

While Brady was sympathetic with Lawrence, he also reminded quarterbacks to protect themselves when they leave the pocket and become runners.

“Certainly, the quarterbacks need to take better care of themselves. I see Josh Allen running a lot. I see Lamar Jackson running a lot,” Brady said.  “Certainly, it’s a great skill set to have. … At the same time, when you run, you put yourself in a lot of danger. And when you do that, I don’t think the onus on protecting an offensive quarterback who’s running should be on a defensive player. I don’t think that’s really fair to the defense. If you slide, everyone can argue, was it black and white or was it a gray area? Did you slide late or was it unnecessary roughness? Or is it a late hit? To me, a late hit is very late.”

Brady also said it was unfair to fans to call Al-Shaair a “dirty player” because of a rough hit.

“If we don’t want these hits to take place, we’ve got to penalize the offense and the defense rather than just penalize the defensive player for every single play that happens when there’s a hit on the quarterback,” Brady said.

Al-Shaair, the Texans’ defensive captain, plans to appeal the suspension on Wednesday afternoon.

Azeez Al-Shaair suspended three games? Not so fast for Texans LB

Azeez Al-Shaair should have an answer on his suspension in the coming days after making his case on Wedensday.

Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was hit with a three-game suspension on Tuesday from the NFL office following his hit against Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

It might be three games now, but Al-Shaair is going to do his best to lessen the penalty.

According to multiple reports, Al-Shaair will meet with the NFLPA representative on Wednesday afternoon to appeal his suspension. While the suspension likely will be upheld, it could be reduced to either one or two games.

Al-Shaair was ejected following the hit that left Lawrence in concussion protocol during the second quarter of a 23-20 win. On Tuesday, Jon Runyan, the NFL’s vice president of football operations, wrote that the linebacker was involved in a play that the league considers “unacceptable and a serious violation of playing rules.”

“Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL,” Runyan wrote. “Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated.”

Texans general manager Nick Caserio defended Al-Shaair, ripping the NFL for its wording in the letter of Al-Shaair’s character.

“Nobody embodies our program more than Azeez — what he’s about, what he’s been through,” Caserio said. “There’s not a more selfless individual more about the team, who has earned the respect, that represents everything we want this program to be about.”

This isn’t the first time the Texans have had to deal with a suspension because of on-field play. Last season, Denzel Perryman was suspended three games for violating the league’s player safety policy. Following the appeal, it was reduced to two games.

Al-Shaair, the Texans’ defensive captain, has been fined twice this season due to on-field play. He was fined $11,817 for an incident in Week 2 against the Bears after punching running back Roschon Johnson following an altercation with multiple Bears players.

Al-Shaair was also fined 11,255 for hitting Titans running back Tony Pollard out of bounds in Week 12.

Should the suspension be upheld, Al-Shaair would forfeit $112,745 per game, according to The Houston Chronicle.

Texans GM rips NFL for suspension and portrayal of LB Azeez Al-Shaair

Nick Caserio didn’t hold back in breaking down the poor portrayal made by the NFL against Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair amid suspension.

On Monday, Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans went to bat for linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair amid a suspension in the works.

A day later, it was Nick Caserio’s turn to call out the NFL.

Caserio, along with multiple members of the organization, took exception with the league’s characterization of Al-Shaair following his three-game suspension. With owners in attendance, Caserio ripped the NFL for its choice wording and description of Al-Shaair in the letter laying out the sixth-year linebacker’s suspension.

“Nobody embodies our program more than Azeez,” Caserio said. “What he’s about, what he’s been through. There’s not a more selfless individual more about the team, who has earned the respect, that represents everything we want this program to be about.

“We’re talking about some of the commentary that has been made about his character, about the person that he is, about what his intentions are, from people who, quite frankly, don’t know anything about Azeez Al-Shaair.”

Caserio also called out the league office for its lack of consistency regarding suspension lengths, pointing to other instances around the league where players have received underwhelming punishments for similar hits on players.

“For the league to make some of the commentary that they made about lack of sportsmanship, lack of coachability, lack of paying attention to the rules, quite frankly, it’s embarrassing,” Caserio said. “So I think the big thing from our perspective — talk about a player who’s never been suspended, never been ejected. So now we’re saying that he’s going to be suspended for three games. Look, it is what it is. I think the big thing from our standpoint — and all teams want this — is just some level of consistency.”

Caserio, who’s set to close on his fourth season as the Texans’ GM, said they spoke to the league office and still feel as if there’s not a good explanation for the punishment. Al-Shaair, who can’t return until the Week 18 season finale, plans to appeal the ruling in hopes of limiting the suspension to either one or two games.

While Caserio defended his player, he also hoped that Lawrence continued to get healthy following a hit that left him unconscious and forced him into the concussion protocol.

“The most important thing is the health and safety of our players and I would say the health and well-being of Trevor,” Caserio said. “Hopefully Trevor is going to be okay.”

Much like Ryans, Caserio made sure to let the NFL know where he stands.

“Where we take umbrage is the picture that has been painted about Azeez, his intentions, who he is as a person,” Caserio said. “Quite frankly, it’s bulls—, and it’s unfair to the individual, it’s unfair to the organization. We love everything about Azeez Al-Shaair and everything he brings to this team.”

The Texans return from their bye week to take on the Miami Dolphins in Week 15.

Texans LB supsended three games for hit against Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence

Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair won’t be on the field for the next three games after being suspended by the NFL.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

Azeez Al-Shaair won’t be taking the field for the Houston Texans anytime soon.

The veteran linebacker was suspended three games by the NFL on Tuesday for his late hit on Trevor Lawrence on Sunday, which led to an ejection and left the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback with a concussion.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Al-Shaair plans to appeal the suspension to decrease the length.

Jon Runyan, the NFL’s vice president of football operations, stated in a letter to Al-Shaair that the league deemed the hit “unacceptable” and that his “continued disregard” for rules governing player safety “will not be tolerated.”

“You were involved in a play that the (NFL) considers unacceptable and a serious violation of the playing rules,” Runyan wrote Tuesday. “Video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide…You led with your forearm and helmet and delivered a forceful blow to the head/neck area of your opponent when you had time and space to avoid such contact.”

During the second quarter, Lawrence scrambled before sliding on a second-and-7 play. As he began to slide, Al-Shaair leaped toward the quarterback with his forearm, resulting in Lawrence’s head slamming against the grass at EverBank Stadium.

Jaguars tight end Evan Engram shoved Al-Shaair after the play, leading to a brawl between the two sides. Lawrence, who recently returned to the lineup after missing two games with a shoulder injury, was able to get up off the field under his own pressure but was carted to the locker room with a head injury.

Since the incident, Al-Shaair apologized to Lawrence in a post on 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,’“ Al-Shaair wrote. “To the rest of his teammates I can definitely understand you having his back and defending him in a situation like that.”

Runyan said in his letter that Al-Shaair “proceeded to engage in a brawl, which you escalated when you pulled an opponent down to the ground by his facemask.” Following the ejection, Al-Shaair was confronted by multiple Jacksonville players, including offensive guard Brandon Scherff.

Multiple Texans teammates had to hold back Al-Shaair as he was being escorted to the locker room.

“Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL,” Runyan wrote. “Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated.”

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans called the incident “unfortunate” and “not what we’re coaching,” though he did not believe it was representative of Al-Shaair as a player. 

“Azeez is a great person, an exceptional leader for us,” Ryans said Monday. “He plays the game the right way. His intent is never to hurt anyone.

“For any picture that is painted that Azeez is a dirty player or doing something intentional, that is the exact opposite of Azeez.”

This isn’t Al-Shaair’s first time being reprimanded by the NFL for his on-field play. He was at the center of another controversy in Week 2 when he hit Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams on the sideline as the rookie ran out of bounds.

He was fined $11,817 after he punched Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson following the altercation on the sidelines. 

Al-Shaair was also fined $11,255 last week for a late hit out of bounds on Titans running back Tony Pollard in Houston’s 32-27 loss.

A former protege under Ryans in San Francisco, Al-Shaair, 27, signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Texans this offseason and was named a team captain for 2024. In 10 games, he’s totaled 68 tackles, two sacks, four pass breakups and two forced fumbles. 

The Texans (8-5) are off this week, but will return to face off against the Miami Dolphins on Dec. 15. Should the suspension be upheld, Al-Shaair will be able to return for the season finale against the Titans. 

Texans defend LB Azeez Al-Shaair after ‘dirty hit’ on Jagaurs QB Trevor Lawrence

Multiple Houston Texans players voice their thoughts on Azeez Al-Shaair’s hit against Trevor Lawrence.

In a game that seemed to be droll entering halftime, one play woke up fans across the NFL world just behind halftime.

The Houston Texans secured a 23-20 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday afternoon, but it was a footnote in the scuffle that occurred between the two sidelines because of a hit.

Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair drilled Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence late as he had given himself up on a slide while trying to pick up the first down. With Lawrence sliding feet first, Al-Shaair dove at him and delivered a blow with his forearm to the head.

While Lawrence appeared to be knocked unconscious, Jaguars tight end Evan Engram shoved Al-Shaair to the ground in retaliation. Multiple other players from either side got involved as the swarm carried over toward Jacksonville’s.

Things got so far out of control that Texans coach DeMeco Ryans came across the field to grab Al-Shaair himself to try and calm down the veteran defender. Lawrence, who returned Sunday for the first time since Week 9, was carted off and ruled out with a head injury.

“That’s not what we’re coaching,” Ryans told reporters postgame. “We want to be smart in everything we do and not hurt the team, (not) get a penalty there. We just have to be smarter when the quarterback is going down.”

Al-Shaair, along with Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones, were ejected from the game because of their role in the aftermath. Even after the decision was final, Al-Shaair continued jawing with Jaguars players as he headed to the locker room.

Eventually, linebacker Henry To’oTo’o, defensive end Will Anderson Jr. and running back Joe Mixon made sure the situation didn’t continue.

“Just an unfortunate play, not representative of who Azeez is,” Ryans said. “Azeez is a smart player, a really great leader for us. We felt his presence not being there, his loss, it really affected us on the defensive side.”

To’oTo’o told reporters that Jacksonville players were trying to defend their quarterback, so they had to go to bat for their linebacker. Quarterback C.J. Stroud voiced his support for Al-Shaair and offered condolences to Lawrence for a speedy recovery.

“I’m still rocking with Azeez,” Stroud said. “I don’t think that was his intent. I pray that Trevor is OK and that his family is right there with him.”

Houston won’t know if Al-Shaair will be suspended until after the bye week, but Ryans said the team would address the linebacker personally about the incident and “move forward from it.”

“It’s not what we’re coaching,” Ryans said. “Didn’t want to see the melee and all the aftermath, that’s not what we’re about, not representative of us.”

Will Azeez Al-Shaair play today? Latest injury updates for Texans LB

Will Azeez Al-Shaair be back for the Houston Texans in Week 9 against the New York Jets?

With the Houston Texans on a short week, current injured players might be out again if not fully cleared.

That seems to be the case for defensive captain and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who has remained sidelined for the previous two games after suffering a knee injury in Week 6’s road win.

Will Al-Shaair suit up on “Thursday Night Football” when the Texans take on the New York Jets? Here’s what happened and his current status entering Thursday morning.

Azeez Al-Shaair injury update

Al-Shaair suffered a knee injury in the third quarter of the team’s Week 6 win over the New England Patriots. While he returned for several drives, the veteran did not play in the fourth quarter.

Houston elected to let Al-Shaair rest up in Week 7. He wasn’t cleared by the team’s medical staff to return last week against the Indianapolis Colts, leading to Houston signing former Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Devin White to a one-year deal. 

While Al-Shaair did practice on Tuesday, the Texans ruled him out once more. He will miss his third consecutive game as Houston looks to improve to 7-2 to close out the month of October.

How long will Azeez Al-Shaair be out?

Since Al-Shaair practiced on Tuesday, one could assume he’s close. The Texans will have three days off to recover before beginning Week 10 preparation against the Detroit Lions, which falls on Sunday Night Football and primetime.

It feels likely the window to return is more so in favor of next week rather than Week 11’s showdown on Monday Night Football.

Azeez Al-Shaair stats

Al-Shaair has been an essential member of Houston’s front seven and remains the captain on the field. He’s second in total tackles (40), third in tackles for loss (4.5), fourth in pass breakups (4) and has a sack in six games. 

Texans LB depth chart

With Al-Shaair out, the Texans will be down one starter. Henry To’oTo’o, who missed the last two games with a concussion, is expected to start Thursday night as the team’s MIKE linebacker.

Here’s the rest of the linebackers on the active roster:

  • Neville Hewitt
  • Jake Hansen
  • Devin White
  • Jamal Hill
  • Del’Shawn Phillips

Hewitt led the team in tackles back-to-back weeks in place of Al-Shaair with 15 combined stops. Hansen recorded 10 stops in two games. 

White, a former first-round pick in 2019, isn’t expected to start but could see prominent reps as the No. 3 option. Last week against the Colts, he recorded three tackles.

Last season with the Buccaneers, White had 83 tackles, six pass deflections and two interceptions. 

Who is inactive for Texans in Week 7 matchup vs. Packers?

Six players are out for the Houston Texans on Sunday at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers.

The Houston Texans are down five defensive starters for Sunday’s contest at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers.

Linebackers Azeez Al-Shaair and Henry To’oTo’o, plus cornerback Kamari Lassiter and safety Jimmie Ward were all officially out for Sunday’s matchup against the Packers, according to the team’s Friday injury report. The four appeared on the inactive list, along with return man Steven Sims and veteran receiver Robert Woods.

Al-Shaair suffered a knee injury in the first half of Week 6’s win over the New England Patriots. Neville Hewitt, best known for his special teams ability, will start as the team’s MIKE backer opposite either Jake Hansen or fifth-round pick Jamal Hill.

To’oTo’o exited the game late in the fourth quarter after making a tackle on a punt return. He entered the league’s concussion protocol and didn’t practice throughout the week. Hansen filled in for the final eight minutes of Sunday’s matchup.

“Neville and Jake have been here with us for a while,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “They have gotten a lot of reps. They know how we play, they know what to expect, they know how to communicate. It is nothing new to them. If they have to go out and give snaps, I feel confident in those guys being able to step up and help us.”

Sims was a late addition to the injury report after suffering a back injury. In his place, Houston elevated Desmond King from the practice squad to likely serve as the punt returner and add depth to Houston’s secondary.

Receivers Tank Dell and Xavier Hutchinson could also be used heavily in special teams as returners.

Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT.

Is Azeez Al-Shaair playing today? Injury updates for Texans LB

Here’s the latest news surrounding Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair entering Week 7’s matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

Azeez Al-Shaair has been the anchor of the Houston Texans’ defense through six games as the new commander and field general. Now, his status for the 2024 season is in jeopardy.

Al-Shaair suffered a knee injury in Week 6’s 41-21 victory over the New England Patriots. He tried to come back in during the fourth quarter, but Texans coach DeMeco Ryans elected to let him rest.

Will Al-Shaair suit up on Sunday at Lambeau Field when Houston takes on the Green Bay Packers at noon? Here’s everything you need to know about Agent Zero.

Azeez Al-Shaair’s injury update

Al-Shaair won’t play after missing practice throughout the week. While the knee injury isn’t supposed to keep the middle linebacker out long, he’ll miss at least one, if not two games until he’s back to full speed.

“We’ll see where our guys are this week with Azeez and Henry [To’oTo’o], see where they are,” Ryans said Monday.

How long will Al-Shaair be out?

There’s no timetable for the starter at the moment. If he practices even a limited capacity next week, he’ll probably take the field against the Indianapolis Colts. The same goes for To’oTo’o, who suffered a concussion late in the fourth quarter against New England and did not practice this week.

Texans depth chart

Houston’s linebacker depth remains a weakness entering Sunday’s matchup, largely due to injury. Starter Christian Harris has been on the injured reserve since the start of training camp and hasn’t been cleared to take reps at practice.

With both Al-Shaair and To’oT’o out for Sunday’s contest, Houston will turn to Neville Hewitt and Jake Hansen. The two are best known for their special teams ability over defensive reps, though Hewitt has been a roleplayer at times for the Texans over the previous two seasons.

In Sunday’s win over the Patriots, he finished with eight tackles and a tackle for loss. Hansen totaled two tackles.

Texans vs. Packers, Week 7 injury report: Thursday

Here’s the injury report from Thursday’s practice in preparation for the Houston Texans’ matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

Here are the full injury reports for the Houston Texans and Green Bay Packers from Thursday’s practice ahead of their Week 7 matchup at Lambeau Field:

Houston Texans (4-1)

Did not practice

  • LB Azeez Al-Shaair (knee)
  • WR Robert Woods (foot)
  • CB Kamari Lassiter (shoulder)
  • LB Henry To’oTo’o (concussion)
  • DB Jimmie Ward (groin)
  • DL Foley Fatukasi (shoulder)

Limited participation

  • RB Joe Mixon (ankle)
  • LB Del’Shawn Phillips (hip)

Full participation

  • OT Laremy Tunsil (ankle)

Green Bay Packers (4-2)

Did not practice

  • DL Devonte Wyatt (ankle)

Limited participation

  • CB Jaire Alexander (groin)
  • DL Kenny Clark (toe)
  • TE  Tucker Kraft (groin)
  • C Josh Myers (ankle)
  • WR Jayden Reed (ankle)
  • WR Dontayvion Wicks (shoulder)
  • WR Christian Watson (ankle)
  • OL Elton Jenkins (knee)
  • DL Colby Wooden (knee)

Full participant

  • DL Jonathan Ford (calf)

Kickoff is scheduled for noon CT. The Packers open as a -2.5-point favorite, according to BetMGM.
With a win, the Texans would be off to their best start since 2012. For Green Bay, a victory would leave it in third place behind both the Detriot Lions and Minnesota Vikings.

Texans vs. Packers: How many starters could be out in Week 7?

Azeez-Al Shaair, Henry To’oTo’o and others could be out this Sunday against the Green Bay Packers for the Houston Texans defense.

The Houston Texans are already down potential All-Pro receiver Nico Collins on offense.

They could be down even more on defense for Sunday’s trip to Lambeau Field.

Cornerback Kamari Lassiter (shoulder), safety Jimmie Ward (groin), defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi (shoulder), linebacker Azeez-Al Shaair (knee) and linebacker Henry To’oTo’o (concussion) were all out with injuries during Thursday’s practice. Lassiter and Ward did not play last week and aren’t expected to play Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

https://twitter.com/TexansPR/status/1847013501438443534

Barring a last-second change, Fatukasi, Al-Shaair and To’oTo’o likely won’t play, either. While the Texans are expected to have back defensive lineman Denico Autry, he might not start until Week 8 when Houston takes on Indianapolis at home.

Keep in mind that the Texans are also without starting defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr., who was suspended for four games earlier this week after violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy.

So, what does that mean? At a minimum, five starters will miss Sunday’s contest. At maximum, the total is seven.

That’s not ideal since the Packers remain one of the league’s more explosive offenses entering Week 7 behind MVP-caliber quarterback Jordan Love. The second-year starter has only played in two games, yet ranks second in passing touchdowns with 12.

“Going against Jordan Love this week, it will be the best quarterback we’ve seen this year,” Texans coach DeMeo Ryans said. “So, it’ll be a really, really tough matchup, really good team.”

Love, who inked a four-year mega extension this offseason, is heating up. He threw four touchdown passes in a 34-13 win over the Arizona Cardinals last week, including two to No. 2 target Romeo Doubs.

If the Texans are down all those players, depth becomes a liability. Special teams linebackers Neville Hewitt and Jake Hansen will perform double duty. The same goes for cornerback D’Angelo Ross in place of Lassiter. Rookie Calen Bullock also could see 100% of reps at safety.

The Texans also recently reinstated Kurt Hinish from the injured reserve after trading away running back Cam Akers on Tuesday. He’s been a full participant in practice and could start in place of Fatukasi.

Houston could contract on offense with the return of Dameon Pierce and Pro Bowler Joe Mixon. The two set the tone on the ground in Sunday’s 41-21 win over the New England Patriots after averaging over 7.5 yards per carry.

Mixon, who led the NFL in rushing yards after Week 1, totaled 132 yards and two touchdowns. Pierce rushed for 76 yards, including a 54-yard touchdown.

Kickoff