Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair was suspended three games for his Week 13 hit on Trevor Lawrence.
Al-Shaair, who has a lengthy history of dirty hits, delivered a vicious head shot to Lawrence as he slid down during the Texans’ Week 13 win over Jacksonville. The illegal hit ignited an all-out brawl, during with Al-Shaair yanked down a Jaguars player by the facemask. He continued his aggression after refs threw him out of the game. It’s a significant loss for the Houston defense. Al-Shaair, who has two sacks and seven QB hurries on the season, is graded by Pro Football Focus as the league’s 18th best linebacker. He’ll be eligible to return in Week 17 against the Ravens. Al-Shaair will reportedly appeal the suspension.
Three games for Al-Shaair's suspension is ‘fuzzy’
Mike Florio unpacks the NFL’s move to suspend Azeez Al-Shaair and outlines why it’s unclear how the three games came to be, given the NFL cites the hit, the actions afterward and his history.