Houston Texans safety Azeez Al-Shaair apologized Monday for his hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
During the teams’ matchup Sunday, Al-Shaair dove at a sliding Lawrence during the second quarter, hitting the defenseless quarterback in the head with his forearm. Lawrence exhibited the fencing response after the collision and was ruled out of the game with a concussion.
“To Trevor I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening,” Al-Shaair wrote on X. “Before the game we spoke and I told you how great it was to see you back out on the field and wished you well. I would never want to see any player hurt because of a hit I put on them, especially one that was ruled ‘late’ or ‘unnecessary.’”
He then added: “To the rest of the people who I’ve been called every single name in the book from reporters with their hands ready for a story to find their villain, to racist and Islamophobic fans and people, you don’t know my heart nor my character which I don’t need to prove to any of you.”
In the post, Al-Shaair explains why he made the hit, saying he plays every game as hard as he can without the intent to injure.
“I genuinely didn’t see him sliding until it was too late. And it all happens in the blink of an eye,” the safety wrote.
The hit angered Lawrence’s teammates, as a scuffle broke out on the field immediately after the play. In his apology, Al-Shaair said he understood why the Jaguars defended their quarterback the way they did.
An undrafted free agent in his sixth season in the NFL, Al-Shaair has been fined multiple times already this season for on-field incidents. He was fined more than $11,000 for both a late hit on Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard in a Nov. 24 game as well as a punch he threw at Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson on Sept. 15.
Al-Shaair is expected to be suspended for his hit on Lawrence, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday.
On Monday, Jacksonville coach Doug Pederson said Lawrence’s status for the rest of the season is uncertain.
“Thank you to everyone who has reached out / been praying for me,” Lawrence posted to X on Sunday. “I’m home and feeling better. Means a lot, thank you all.”
