HOUSTON – Texans veteran linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair issued a lengthy statement on his first day of practice back from a three-game suspension for his controversial, concussion-causing hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, outlining his feelings on the entire episode that included his NFL punishment and inflammatory language critical of him in a disciplinary letter issued by league executive Jon Runyan.
Al-Shaair, who practiced Monday with his teammates, posted on social media about a “productive meeting” held with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and executives Troy Vincent and Runyan during his isolation from the team. Al-Shaair, who thanked Texans owners Cal McNair and Hannah McNair for their support along with general manager Nick Caserio and coach DeMeco Ryans, decried a “false narrative” portraying him as “dirty player or a bad person.”
Recommended Videos
And Al-Shaair, who previously posted a photograph of the Joker character from the movies and embraced being a “villain,” struck a much more conciliatory tone in his post during which he acknowledged that he “completely lost it,’ during altercations that followed his ejection in an “embarrassing and eye-opening moment” he emphasized he has learned and grown from.
“While so many jumped at the first opportunity to hop on the false narrative -- that I’m a dirty player or bad person -- the messages from all who stood by me were the only things keeping me mentally afloat during a time of isolation,” Al-Shaair wrote. “I’ve learned so much from this entire experience. Seeing myself on video -- letting my emotions get the best of me where I completely lost it -- was an embarrassing and eye-opening moment for me. I’ve had to earn everything in my life. I never want to allow anyone to get me to a point where I jeopardize everything that I’ve worked all my life to obtain. That was not the way I want to represent myself or my family and I will continue to learn and grow from that moment.
“During my suspension, I was able to go meet with Commissioner Goodell, Troy Vincent, Jon Runyan among others to meet for the first time and express the way I felt about how I was characterized in the letter sent out from the NFL. I have a ton of respect for those at the league office and the responsibility they have to uphold for player safety. Without going into detail, the meeting we had was productive and gave me hope for moving forward and playing the game that I love with continued best intentions, while also not having my character and integrity unjustifiably smeared. In that conversation -- man-to-man -- I owned and acknowledged that my actions following my ejection were careless and, in that moment, I didn’t think about the responsibility I have been blessed with to represent the shield. I also stated that the letter, and specifically the language used in the letter, was equally as careless and conveyed that the context of the words used were not a reflection of my character, nor my career, as I have not been warned multiple times for my play on the field.”
In the NFL disciplinary letter from Runyan to Al-Shaair explaining the suspension, he cited repeated violations of the rules intended to protect the health and safety of players and promote sportsmanship. Al-Shaair appealed his suspension, but it was upheld by appeals officer and former Pittsburgh Steelers offensive lineman Ramon Foster.
The suspension cost him $112,745 per week, including $83,333 per week in salary, plus $29,411.76 in per game active roster bonuses.
“During your game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on December 1, with 4:20 remaining in the second quarter, you were involved in a play that the League considers unacceptable and a serious violation of the playing rules,” Runyan wrote. “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.”
“After the illegal 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. 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. 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.”
It’s the final paragraph that enraged the Texans and Al-Shaair.
“When you put information and make a statement in a letter with not having talked, ever talked to a player, not knowing the player, and then to basically paint a picture ‘Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL,’” Caserio said at the time of the suspension. “So, that essentially implies that Azeez doesn’t give a crap about the fans, doesn’t give a crap about playing football the right way, is not coachable. It couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Al-Shaair addressed the hit, and the surrounding reaction and fallout. He has been heavily criticized on sports talk radio and on social media, including racist comments and many attacking his Muslim faith and his support of a Palestine children’s relief fund through My Cause, My Cleats.
After the hit, Al-Shaair was knocked down immediately by Jaguars tight end Evan Engram in retaliation for a collision that injured a sliding Lawrence. Two separate altercations, including one where teammates were trying to hold Al-Shaair back, ensued.
— Azeez Al-shaair (@A_train2_) December 31, 2024
“Instead, the intended context of the letter referred to me pulling away from my coach after my ejection and starting another altercation,” Al-Shaair wrote. “The play was a “bang-bang” play that by rule and definition was a foul that I own, but it was not done in bad sportsmanship or ill intent. It’s not “me vs Jon Runyan” or “me vs the league officials”, we all are on the same team and together represent something much greater than us that will remain here long after we’re gone. While I am privileged enough to represent a game that I love, I’ll do mv best to do so without altercation.
“The play was a “bang-bang” play that by rule and definition was a foul that I own, but it was not done in bad sportsmanship or ill intent. It’s not “me vs Jon Runyan” or “me vs the league officials”, we all are on the same team and together represent something much greater than us that will remain here long after we’re gone. So while I am privileged enough to represent a game that I love, l’ll do my best to do so the right way and trust they will as well. Lastly, I’ll say that this world is full of negative people who can’t wait to tear you down, but if you move with love and compassion, the seeds of good you planted in others’ lives can grow into the very tree that shades you with comfort and compassion when you need it most. I am a man of God, I am a leader, a warrior and a lover. I am also a hell of a football player and I am grateful to be back doing what I love.”
Al-Shaair was officially reinstated by the NFL last week after completing his suspension.
Al-Shaair reacted after the decision, in outspoken fashion on social media when he posted a photo of the Joker: “If you want me to be your villain, I’ll be your villain. See you soon.”
Operating without Al-Shaair’s hard-hitting presence and range and skill in pass coverage has taken a toll on the defense. They allowed a season-high 251 rushing yards during a 31-2 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas.
“It’s really great getting Azeez back,” Ryans said Monday. “We’ve missed him over these past three weeks, just missed his presence, his leadership, missed his playmaking ability on the field. So, we’re excited to get him back out there and let him knock some of the rust off.”
IF YOU WANT ME TO BE YOUR VILLAIN, ILL BE YOUR VILLAIN!🖕🏾SEE YOU SOON…🃏 pic.twitter.com/GA5FMglMjz
— Azeez Al-shaair (@A_train2_) December 5, 2024
The Texans and Al-Shaair became one of the biggest stories in the NFL after Al-Shaair’s tackle on a sliding Lawrence.
Ryans took issue with how long Lawrence took to commit to a slide along with the Jaguars, including tight end Evan Engram, attacking Al-Shaair by their sideline after the hit. Only Engram was fined by the league office. No other Texans players were punished except for Al-Shaair for two melees that broke out and an NFL referee noted that the Jaguars behaved worse than Houston after the incident.
Al-Shaair is a talented linebacker and emotional team leader who signed a three-year, $34 million free agent deal this offseason to reunite with Ryans.
“We’re all excited,” Texans linebacker Christian Harris said. “It’s great to have our leader back, our captain. He brings crazy energy. He inspires a lot of us in many different ways. We’re excited.”
The deeply religious former Florida Atlantic standout also previously wrote: ‘There is beauty in being rejected. Misunderstood. Unseen and unprotected by people. It teaches you to rely on Allah for everything.”
Caserio previously pointed out the inequity of Al-Shaair’s punishment compared to other players who were ejected but weren’t suspended, including Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch. Al-Shaair had never been suspended previously, but has been fined twice this season, including $11,817 for punching Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson after being surrounded by their players on the sideline after a legal hit on rookie quarterback Caleb Williams that enraged the Bears and $11,255 for his late hit on Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard, which was penalized.
In an impassioned press conference, Caserio spoke out about how Al-Shaair was portrayed by Runyan.
“One of the biggest issues that take umbrage with, as a team and organizationally, is the picture that’s been painted of Azeez,” Caserio said. “Quite frankly, it’s unfair. I think that’s all teams ask for is consistency from the league. I would say in this situation -- I mean, quite frankly, there’s no consistency at all relative to the level of discipline that’s been handed down. Nobody embodies our program more than Azeez, what he’s about, what he’s been through. You all know his story. There’s not a more selfless individual, more about the team, who’s earned the respect, that represents everything that we want this program to be about. We’re talking about some of the commentary that has been made about his character, about the person that he is, about what his intentions are, from people that, quite frankly, don’t know anything about Azeez Al-Shaair.
“For the league to make some of the commentary that they made about lack of sportsmanship, lack of coachability, lack of paying attention to the rules, quite frankly, it’s embarrassing. From our perspective, talk about a player who’s never been suspended, never been ejected. So, now we’re saying that he’s going to be suspended for three games. I think the big thing from our standpoint, and all teams want this, is just some level of consistency. We’ve talked to the league. Quite frankly, we don’t have a good explanation. I think where we take umbrage is the picture that’s been painted about Azeez, his intentions, who he is as a person. I mean, quite frankly, it’s bull--- and it’s unfair to the individual, it’s unfair to the organization. We love everything about Azeez Al-Shaair, what he means to this team, what he brings to this team.”
Several players, including running back Joe Mixon and offensive tackle Tytus Howard, posted their support for Al-Shaair, who has 68 tackles, seven for losses and two forced fumbles in just 10 games, on social media.
Al-Shaair apologized in a statement to Lawrence and defended his character.
“I’ve always played the game as hard as I could,” Al-Shaair wrote on social media. “Never with the intent to harm anyone and anybody that knows me knows that. My goal is to hit you as hard as I can then I pray you’re still able to get up and play the next play. And when the game is over go home to your family because it’s not personal, it’s just competition! I genuinely didn’t see him sliding until it was too late. And it all happened in the blink of an eye.
“To Trevor, I genuinely apologize to you for what ended up happening. 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.”
Ryans has steadfastly defended Al-Shaair’s character. Ryans has known Al-Shaair since he entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent six years ago and he played for him with the San Francisco 49ers.
“I talk to Azeez every day,” Ryans said. “Azeez is a great person, exceptional leader for us. And Azeez is a really good player. And he plays the game the right way. His intent is never to hurt anyone as he’s playing the game. If anybody that knows Azeez and talks to Azeez, nobody with a bigger heart than Azeez. I mean, this guy is a special guy.
“A special young man, love working with him and for any picture that’s painted that Azeez is a dirty player or doing something intentional, that’s the exact opposite of what Azeez is. People who know Azeez, they know him, they know how he plays the game. Yes, he plays it fast, he plays it physical, but sometimes that physical nature gets misunderstood in today’s game. Azeez, the type of guy he is, he’s just a very caring guy.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
