NFL gets personal in announcement of Azeez Al-Shaair suspension for Trevor Lawrence hit

From the moment that Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair laid out a sliding Trevor Lawrence on Sunday, we knew that a suspension would be coming his way. The hit itself was unacceptable, a vicious blow to Lawrence's head when he had already started to give himself up, and the way Al-Shaair responded in the moment — escalating things after Lawrence's Jacksonville Jaguars teammates understandably came to his defense — only made things worse.

But while a significant punishment was expected, the manner in which the NFL managed to deliver it was definitely not. NFL VP of Football Operations Jon Runyan didn't just tell Al-Shaair that he'd been suspended for three games. He used the announcement as an excuse to send a message, one that the linebacker better hear loud and clear.

NFL goes above and beyond in Azeez Al-Shaair suspension announcement

Runyan's press release went far beyond the usual description of the play and announcement of whatever punishment had been handed down. It concludes by telling Al-Shaair that this was not an isolated incident, and that the league is fed up with what it clearly sees as a pattern of behavior that's been putting players' health in jeopardy for far too long.

"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 … 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.”

This obviously won't undo the harm caused to Lawrence, but it's good to know that the NFL recognizes what Jaguars fans (and really, the rest of the AFC South) has been saying over the last few days: That Sunday's dirty hit was just the latest in a long line of them from Al-Shaair, and that players would continue to get hurt unless someone dropped the hammer. It's not often that the league publicly reprimands not just a specific action but a player's on-field character like this; the fact that Runyan did so means that Al-Shaair has been on the NFL's radar for a long time, long enough to call his sportsmanship and respect for the game into question.

Al-Shaair is reportedly appealing his suspension, but that appeal is likely to be resolved prior to Houston's game on Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. It better be, because at this point letting Al-Shaair back on the field might touch off another brawl — or get someone else hurt.