NFL Linebackers are paid to stop the run and react instantly. But they aren't mind-readers. On December 1, 2024, when Houston Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair collided with a late-sliding Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence, the league office cited a severe "lack of respect for the game," slapping him with an immediate ejection, heavy fines, and a four-game suspension. Now, a year and a half later, the veteran Pro Bowler hops on The Pivot Podcast and pulls back the curtain on the aftermath no one saw coming.
"Prior to that play, either A, you might not even know who the hell I was, and if you did know who I was, that was never 'dirty player' or 'piece of crap' attached to my name ever," Al-Shaair said . "But now, off of this one moment, this one play that happened this fast, everything that I've worked for is like now up in arms…
"A year and a half ago, they (were) talking about (me) not playing football; they (were) trying to ban me from playing football. Like, what are we talking about? I got suspended for four games; they moved it down to three because I was ejected in the first quarter of that game (Texans v Jaguars), so they said, 'We'll count that as a game.' And (people were saying) 'this guy is doing a lot worse than tackling somebody…' but I'm getting attacked as a human being for a play that literally is happening in a split second. So if I could say my biggest pivot as an adult, it was probably that."
Lawrence initiated his slide after scrambling just 2 yards away while sprinting at full speed, giving almost no hints that he was about to slide, causing Al-Shaair to ram into the QB. Al-Shaair noted that modern QBs weigh 240 pounds and run a 4.4-second speed, making it nearly impossible for a closing linebacker to stop instantly mid-tackle.
Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair hits Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence as he slides on the turf in the second quarter of their NFL game, Dec 1, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla.Nathan Ray Seebeck/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters
Critics and other Jaguars players argued that Al-Shaair had plenty of time and distance to pull back or dive over Lawrence. But on the other hand, Al-Shaair and other defensive players opened up about the frustration with the challenges they face while they are trying to do their jobs at the highest level while also trying to strictly follow the rules that are designed to protect the quarterbacks. And while opinions are varied on what the Texans LB should have done during that situation, a common statement from the players was that there's nothing easy about pursuing a quarterback at full speed.
"They're taught to hunt, and I think in terms of the defender, I do believe that sometimes you can let up and you can let them go, but man, that's tough," Cleveland Browns quarterback Jameis Winston said. "This is football that we play. And the NFL has done so much to protect the quarterback position, especially within the pocket."
As The Athletic 's NFL staff highlighted on December 13, 2024, the official 2024 NFL Rulebook explicitly outlines defender responsibilities regarding a sliding runner:
Defenders are required to treat a sliding runner as they would a runner who is down by contact.
A defender must pull up when a runner begins a feet-first slide. This does not mean that all contact by a defender is illegal. If a defender has already committed himself, and the contact is unavoidable, it is not a foul unless the defender makes forcible contact into the head or neck area of the runner with the helmet, shoulder, or forearm.
A runner who desires to take advantage of this protection is responsible for starting his slide before contact by a defensive player is imminent; if he does not, and waits until the last moment to begin his slide, he puts himself in jeopardy of being contacted.
San Francisco 49ers safety Ji'Ayir Brown also provided his two cents on this play.
"It's tough on offense," Brown said. "It's tough on defense; it's tough on the officials. But from a defensive perspective, there are times when quarterbacks are faking slides and continuing to run for extra yards. They're acting like they're going down, then they're doing other moves to gain extra yards. And that's tough. It's tough to be in that position."
Even seven-time Super Bowl-winning QB Tom Brady took the side of defensive players by shifting some of the blame for the hits on the sliding quarterbacks themselves. He said the NFL should consider penalizing quarterbacks for late slides. But in Al-Shaair's case, the damage was just one-sided.
NFL Vice President of Policy and Rules Administration, Jon Runyan, suspended Al-Shaair for 4 games without pay (it was reduced to 3 games because he was ejected in the first half of the Jaguars game). He even added a letter to Al-Shaair stating that the league deemed the hit "unacceptable" and that his "continued disregard" for rules governing player safety "will not be tolerated."
After that incident, Al-Shaair couldn't use the team facilities. He couldn't attend meetings, practices, or games. He was forced to stay home. So, for the first five days of his suspension, Al-Shaair said he did nothing. "It was like a blur," he said.
In his official letter, Runyan even blamed Al-Shaair for sparking the sideline melee. Yet, amidst the intense fallout and media storm, the Texans LB still reached out directly to apologize to the Jaguars quarterback.
"To Trevor I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening," He said. "Before the game we spoke and I told you how it was great 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's deemed 'late' or 'unnecessary.' To the rest of his teammates I can definitely understand you having his back and defending him in a situation like that."
The story reached a boiling point when Al-Shaair directly confronted media outlets for attempting to "find their villain," while calling out fans for "racist and Islamophobic" attacks directed at him following the incident. But it wasn't the 'Villain' label that affected the 29-year-old. It was Jon Runyan's impression of him not respect the game. Hence, he made the decision to meet with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Troy Vincent, and Runyan during his appeal to challenge the league's statement regarding his character.
In the week leading up to Houston's Dec. 21 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, Al-Shaair flew to New York for a face-to-face meeting with the NFL's big heads. The Texans linebacker described the discussion as transparent and productive. Goodell clearly laid out the reasoning behind the three-game suspension, and while Al-Shaair didn't fully agree with the severity, he understood the NFL's goal of protecting players.
He even took full accountability for his role in the post-play melee.
"As a man, I clearly made a mistake," Al-Shaair said. "The reason he typed (the letter), is because I did something that was obviously not right. Me taking my helmet off, me starting another brawl, that wasn't right."
Azeez Al-Shaair, source, social media
However, he stood firm on his core belief: he never intended to hurt Lawrence. The hardest part to digest was the wording of Jon Runyan's disciplinary letter, which messaged a direct attack on his character. Once the league clarified that the letter's language was taken out of context and assured him he wasn't a marked man in the eyes of officials, Al-Shaair found the mental clarity he needed to put the ordeal behind him.
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The post "I'm Getting Attacked as a Human Being": Texans' Azeez Al-Shaair Blasts NFL's Double Standard After Suspension appeared first on EssentiallySports . Add EssentiallySports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
