It’s been nearly a month since a controversial play in the Houston Texans‘ win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, when Azeez Al-Shaair took a hard late hit on Trevor Lawrence, seriously injuring him and ending the 25-year-old quarterback’s 2024 NFL season.
The play sparked a brawl between various players from the two teams and the NFL fined Jaguars tight end Evan Engram after he reacted against Al-Shaair. Lawrence, meanwhile, entered concussion protocol and began a considerable recovery period.
A few days after the game between the Texans and the Jaguars, the NFL suspended Al-Shaair for the illegal hit on Lawrence. The penalty was a three-game suspension without pay. The league organization classified his hit as an unacceptable action. However, time passed, and there are new developments regarding the future of the Texans‘ linebacker.
Texans ready to make a decision on Al-Shaair
Al-Shaair has served his three-game suspension and is now eligible to return, which could allow the Houston Texans to start him against the Tennessee Titans in the NFL’s regular-season finale. After the violent hit on Lawrence, the veteran linebacker could return to the starting lineup as DeMeco Ryans prepares for the playoffs.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) is taken to the lockers after getting injured in the second quarter during a game against the Houston Texans in Jacksonville, FL.
How did the Texans do without Al-Shaair?
In the three games without Al-Shaair, the Texans suffered two losses and managed only one win. A 20-12 victory over the Miami Dolphins came one week after Lawrence’s controversial injury play, but in the two games that followed, Houston lost to the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens. Even in the last match, Al-Shaair’s teammates were booed off the field.
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CJ Stroud delivers a strong self-criticism of the Texans’ current situation
The Texans quarterback gave his thoughts after the loss to the Ravens and did not hesitate to analyze the Houston franchise’s string of consecutive losses. “We hit rock bottom. The only way is up. We still have a lot of hope. Got to finish this year the right way against Tennessee (Titans). Hopefully, by that time we’re in a groove and rolling when the playoffs come,” Stroud declared.
