Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was suspended for three games for the late hit on Jacksonville Jaguars' Trevor Lawerence that led to the quarterback being carted off the field with a concussion on Sunday, the league announced on Tuesday.
Jon Runyan, NFL vice president of football operations, announced that Al-Shaair would be suspended without pay in a lengthy letter, calling the hit "unacceptable and a serious violation of the playing rules."
"Video shows you striking the head/neck area of Jaguars’ quarterback Trevor Lawrence after he clearly goes down in a feet-first slide… You led with your forearm and helmet and delivered a forceful blow to the head/neck area of your opponent when you had time and space to avoid such contact," the letter to Al-Shaair read.
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Runyan also pointed to Al-Shaair’s involvement in the on-field brawl that erupted after the hit.
"You proceeded to engage in a brawl, which you escalated when you pulled an opponent down to the ground by his facemask. After the referee announced that you were disqualified for the hit and your unsportsmanlike acts, you removed your helmet and reengaged with your opponent while walking down and across the field, which started another physical confrontation near the end zone."
Runyan said Al-Shaair’s "lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football" does not "reflect the core values of the NFL" and called it "troubling."
"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."
The hit took place with just over four minutes remaining in the first half. Lawrence scrambled left on a second-and-7 play when he initiated a slide. At that point, Al-Shaair appeared to raise his forearm and make a hit on the defenseless quarterback.
A brawl on the field erupted and Al-Shaair was ejected. He issued an apology on Monday.
"To Trevor I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening," Al-Shaair wrote. "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.’"
Tuesday’s letter from the NFL appeared to call out Al-Shaair for his repeated violations this season.
Last week, he was flagged and later fined $11,255 for a late hit out of bounds on Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard.
He was fined earlier this year after he punched Bears running back Roschon Johnson on the sideline in Week 2. That occurred during a scuffle that started after his hard shot on quarterback Caleb Williams near the sideline wasn’t flagged.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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