NFL News NFL News, Reports and Updates
The NFL suspended Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for three games for his blow to the head on a sliding Trevor Lawrence last week, and on Wednesday night that suspension was upheld upon appeal. Al-Shaair will miss Houston’s games against the Dolphins, Chiefs and Ravens, and he’s eligible to return in the regular-season finale against the Titans. But he was nearly done for the season.
Sources say the league initially wanted to suspend Al-Shaair for four games before deciding on three. The hit took place with more than four minutes left in the second quarter, and Al-Shaair was ejected for the remainder of the game. That was effectively a three-and-a-half game suspension for the linebacker, with three games of it being unpaid.
Jon Runyan, the NFL’s VP of football operations, gave Al-Shaair a written tongue-lashing in a letter that was released publicly Tuesday morning.
“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 wrote. “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.”
Before the suspension, Al-Shaair posted an open letter apologizing for the hit. According to a source, Al-Shaair wrote his apology letter himself and without the aid of any PR team. That apology, along with the support of Texans GM Nick Caserio, wasn’t enough to reduce his suspension upon appeal with Ramon Foster, the NFL-NFLPA jointly appointed hearing officer who presided over the virtual appeal Wednesday.
The Jaguars placed Lawrence on injured reserve this week. Though he’s in concussion protocol, the IR move was more directly related to the surgery he’ll have on his non-throwing shoulder. Because practicing is part of the five-step return-to-play protocol, it may be unclear…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/azeez-al-shaair-suspension-nfl-weighed-banning-texans-lb-for-rest-of-regular-season-for-trevor-lawrence-hit/
Author : Jonathan Jones
Publish date : 2024-12-07 14:00:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
