Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who after the Hamas massacre of more than 1200 people in Israel in October 2023 reposted tweets accusing Israel of genocide, was slammed following his vicious hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who was helpless as he slid to avoid being tackled on Sunday.
The savage hit, which left Lawrence, a devout Christian, in the fencing position and with a concussion, came in the second quarter of a game the Texans went on to win 23-20.
“It was a dirty hit,” Jaguars tight end Evan Engram stated. “Obviously those hits are always in question. Trevor was going down and I saw it out of my peripheral [vision]. I got a pretty clear view of it, and in that moment, just [reacted on] instincts. It just didn’t feel like a clean hit, so just go stick up for my quarterback. I mean, I saw him sliding and then I saw the hit, and then just, honestly, it just took over. I just knew it was wrong. It was just a dirty play, and you stick up for your guys.”
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“Azeez Al-Shaair made a decision,” Yahoo Sports senior writer Frank Schwab wrote. “He wanted to decimate Trevor Lawrence, his forearm up to the head of the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback when he was well into a slide. … You won’t find a much dirtier hit than Al-Shaair put on Lawrence.”
“It’s everything you’re not supposed to do. Everything,” Fox Sports analyst Daryl Johnston said on the broadcast. “You’ll see this in slow motion. And Azeez Al-Shaair does everything you’re trying to prevent in this situation. It’s reckless. It’s disrespectful. There’s an honor that you give to your opponent on the football field. And you respect him.”
“You’ll see this in slow motion and Azeez Al-Shaair does everything you’re trying to prevent in this situation,” Daryl Johnston. pic.twitter.com/YJhrCVEWjS
— The Comeback NFL (@TheComebackNFL) December 1, 2024
Former NFL Pro Bowler Ryan Clark tweeted, “That’s bull by Azeez Al-Shaair!! You just dive over the QB’s head when they slide. You make sure they go down but you don’t go to the players helmet like that. I 100% agree with an ejection. And 100% there’s supposed to be a fight! Jaguars did the right thing.”
That’s bull by Azeez Al-Shaair!! You just dive over the QB’s head when they slide. You make sure they go down but you don’t go to the players helmet like that. I 100% agree with an ejection.
And 100% there’s supposed to be a fight! Jaguars did the right thing.
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) December 1, 2024
There was other criticism as well:
So Azeez Al-Shaair was wearing pro-Hamas cleats when he nearly took off the head of devout Christian Trevor Lawrence? They say it was just a cheap shot?
Fox reports there was a message on one of his shoes: “Surely to Allah we belong and to him we will all return.”
No doubt…
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) December 1, 2024
In September, Al-Shaair was fined roughly $11,000 for punching Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson, who was standing on the sidelines and not even in the game.
Sunday evening, Lawrence issued a reassuring message to his fans: “Thank you to everyone who has reached out / been praying for me. I’m home and feeling better. Means a lot, thank you all.”
Thank you to everyone who has reached out / been praying for me. I’m home and feeling better. Means a lot, thank you all🙌🏼
— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) December 2, 2024
“The Tennessee Star was unable to locate any statement of condemnation by Al-Shaair for the horrific Hamas attack on unarmed Israeli civilians on October 7 that left more than 1200 dead,” the Star reported in December 2023.
