Texans player who injured Trevor Lawrence has a history that could get him suspended

If you didn’t know who Azeez Al-Shaair was before Sunday’s game, you certainly know who he is now. Al-Shaair had a dirty hit on Trevor Lawrence during a division rival game between the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Lawrence was scrambling to his left, got out the pocket and attempted to slide as he approached the first down marker. As he started his slide, Al-Shaair launched himself at Lawrence, striking him in the head with his left arm, which has a full-arm brace on it, knocking Lawrence out cold. 

A brawl ensued, understandably as the Jaguars were not thrilled to see Al-Shaair take a massive hit on a defenseless player, their quarterback no less. Al-Shaair was thrown out of the game, greeted with objects thrown from fans as he was ushered to the locker room and probably has a suspension waiting for him. 

If the NFL is truly taking the safety of their players seriously, they have to suspend Al-Shaair. Because not too long ago a player by the name of Vontez Burfict had his career overshadowed by his over-aggressive play as well. 

They have to set that standard. Especially for a player that has a history of not always playing clean. 

Azeez Al-Shaair’s latest dirty play should be a warning to the NFL to take player health seriously

As Al-Shaair’s hit on Lawrence became a talking point for many on social media and abroad, it brought up old clips of plays he’s made before that were similar to his hit on Lawrence. 

One hit in particular was when the Texans played the Chicago Bears earlier this year. Caleb Williams was running toward the sideline when Al-Shaair launched himself at Williams. It was considered a clean hit as Williams was still in bounds. 

But it prompted a response from the Bears bench. In the video clip from Ari Meirov’s X platform account, formerly known as Twitter, you can see Al-Shaair throw a punch at a Bears player that the refs didn’t see. 

In an older clip, posted on Nash Henry’s X platform account, Al-Shaair is seen raising his arm to former Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady. He’s no stranger to questionable plays. Sunday he was finally caught. 

And it could magnify the microscope on him moving forward. The NFL has to suspend Al-Shaair to send a message that it won’t be tolerated. And it will hopefully be a gut-check to him to not make any more hits like this. 

It will also show that any future plays similar to this will increase the punishment. Just like Burfict was punished for his hits.