TEXANS NEWS
League rules on appeal from Houston Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair
Dec 4, 2024, 7:12 pm
TEXANS NEWS
The NFL and the NFL players association upheld Houston linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair's three-game suspension without pay for repeated violations of player safety rules following his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, who sustained a concussion and is now on injured reserve.
Hearing officer Ramon Foster, jointly appointed by the league and the players' union, ruled Wednesday.
Al-Shaair’s punishment was announced Tuesday by NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan. In his letter to Al-Shaair, Runyan noted that he has had multiple offenses for personal fouls and sportsmanship-related rules violations in recent seasons.
His most egregious one came in a 23-20 win at Jacksonville on Sunday.
Back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, Lawrence was scrambling in the second quarter and started to slide. But Al-Shaair raised his forearm and unleashed on the defenseless quarterback.
In his letter to Al-Shaair, Runyan called the hit “unacceptable and a serious violation of the playing rules.”
“Video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide,” Runyan wrote. “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.”
Houston general manager Nick Caserio defended Al-Shaair and said he doesn’t believe the league is using consistency in issuing punishments such as these.
“I probably speak for a lot of teams, not only the Houston Texans, but I think that’s all teams ask for is consistency from the league,” he said. “And I’d say in this situation, quite frankly, there’s no consistency at all relative to the level of discipline that’s been handed down.”
Al-Shaair won’t be eligible to return to Houston’s active roster until after the team’s Christmas Day game against Baltimore. Al-Shaair has a base salary of $1.5 million this season, meaning it will cost him about $265,000 to miss three games.
Lawrence clenched both fists after the hit — movements consistent with what’s referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury. He was on the ground for several minutes as teammates came to his defense and mobbed Al-Shaair in what escalated into a brawl.
As Al-Shaair was leaving the field after being ejected, fans started screaming at him. Jaguars veteran guard Brandon Scherff joined in, prompting another altercation with Al-Shaair. Texans teammate Will Anderson grabbed Al-Shaair and was escorting him off the field when a fan threw a water bottle and hit Anderson in the helmet. The fan was later ejected.
Runyan also outlined Al-Shaair’s behavior after the hit in announcing the suspension.
“After the illegal hit, you proceeded to engage in a brawl, which you escalated when you pulled an opponent down to the ground by his facemask,” he wrote. “After the referee announced that you were disqualified for the hit and your unsportsmanlike acts, you removed your helmet and re-engaged with your opponent while walking down and across the field, which started another physical confrontation near the end zone.”
This is the third time this season Al-Shaair has been punished by the league. Last week, he was flagged and later fined $11,255 for a late hit out of bounds on Titans running back Tony Pollard.
He was fined earlier this year after he punched Bears running back Roschon Johnson on the sideline in Week 2. That occurred during a scuffle that started after his hard shot on quarterback Caleb Williams near the sideline wasn’t flagged.
“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 told Al-Shaair in the letter. “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.”
Miguel Andujar and Shea Langeliers homered in the first inning, J.T. Ginn threw six shutout innings and the Athletics beat the Houston Astros 7-1 on Sunday to sweep the four-game series.
Starting in the leadoff spot for the first time in his nine-year career, Andujar homered on Colton Gordon’s fifth pitch. With two out, Langeliers sent a 3-0 fastball over the train tracks in left for his 17th home run of the season.
Langeliers has homered in three straight games for the first time in his career. He went 2 for 4 with two runs.
Ginn (2-2) held the Astros to three hits in his longest start of the season. He struck out four without issuing a walk.
Colby Thomas went 1 for 2 with a double and the first RBI of his major league career.
Two days after becoming the first rookie in major league history to hit four home runs in a game, Nick Kurtz was given the day off. He’s batting .549 during a 13-game hitting streak.
Gordon (4-3) surrendered four runs on six hits over five innings with six strikeouts.
The A’s four-game winning streak and the Astros’ four-game losing streak match season-highs.
Andujar’s leadoff home run.
Houston’s opponents have scored first in a franchise-record 18 straight games, one game shy of the expansion era record set by the 1987 Orioles.
The Athletics open a three-game home series against Seattle on Monday night, with LHP JP Sears (7-8 4.98 ERA) facing RHP Luis Castillo (7-6 3.30). The Astros open a three-game home series against Washington on Monday night, with LHP Framber Valdez (11-4 2.67) opposing RHP Brad Lord (2-5 3.39