Trevor Lawrence fallout continues as NFL insider reveals Jaguars’ likely plans for QB after brutal hit

Don’t expect Trevor Lawrence to return from the concussion he suffered when the Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback was squashed by Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair on Sunday.

ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter said he would be “surprised” to see Lawrence make a comeback this season, given his concussions and the team’s negligible playoff hopes.

“They’re 2-10. He is dealing with a left shoulder injury,” Schefter told Pat McAfee on Monday. ‘He has a concussion now. Honestly, in my opinion, I would be surprised if we see Trevor Lawrence play again this season. Why are we putting him out there? For me it is time to give him a rest and prepare him for 2025.

“He was dealing with a shoulder injury that he played through and it was tough enough to be out there, now you get a huge blow to the head and he has to be taken away,” Schefter continued.

“Why are we putting him there again at 2-10? What are we doing? Yes, he is extremely strong and he plays through everything, but someone has to tell him in his best interest, ‘You should not play anymore this season.’

Texas head coach DeMeco Ryans endorsed Al-Shaair amid outrage over his linebacker’s vicious helmet-to-helmet hit.

Lawrence suffered a concussion after the blow but is now said to be ‘feeling better’ at home

Al-Shaair, who has also come under fire for wearing a pro-Palestine message on his shoes, will be suspended by the NFL following his brutal hit on Jaguars quarterback Lawrence in Houston’s 23-20 win over Jacksonville on Sunday .

The Texans defender was immediately ejected from the game after the illegal tackle, leading to a brawl between the two teams as irate Jaguars players made their anger clear.

Lawrence, meanwhile, was taken off the pitch with concussion before reassuring fans that he was ‘feeling better’ later on Sunday evening.

But because his player was heavily criticized for the hit, Ryans said during a press conference on Monday that the Texans fully support their player.

“With the whole Azeez situation, we stand with Azeez and everything that came out of it,” he told reporters.

“Unfortunately he hit a quarterback, but it’s twofold. Many quarterbacks these days try to abuse the rule when they run late and try to gain an extra yard.

‘If you are a defender, there is a lot of pressure on the defender. Whether it’s on the sideline or on the quarterback, you don’t know what anyone is thinking. You don’t know if a man gets up and continues running, you don’t know. And then you get a late slide and you hit the guy.

“It’s a shame that Trevor got hurt, and I hope Trevor is doing well, but also if you’re sliding, you gotta go down, and if you go out of bounds, go out of bounds, because that rule is there to protect the ball. quarterbacks.

Al-Shaair had to be restrained by his teammates when a brawl broke out after the tackle

“We want our quarterbacks to be safe in the league. So we just have to be safe and if we slide, make sure we keep our heads down.”

The Texans coach also took aim at the Jacksonville staff for “overreacting” on the sideline when Al-Shaair scored the goal on Lawrence, which he said led to the massive brawl between the two teams.

“Azeez hits the man, but their sideline overreacts and it turns into a fight,” he continued. “It wasn’t our guys, their team overreacted and pushed our guy, dragged our guy to the sideline. That’s inappropriate.’

Ryans then described Al-Shaair as a “great person” as he came to his defense.

‘Azeez is a very good player. He plays the game the right way, he never intends to hurt anyone while playing the game,” he added.

‘Anyone who knows Azeez and has spoken to Azeez [will know] There is no one with a bigger heart. This man is a special man who I have known since 2019. A special young man, I enjoy working with him.

“Any photo that portrays Azeez as a dirty player or doing anything deliberate… that is the exact opposite of what Azeez is.

“People who know Azeez and how he plays the game, yes, he plays it fast and plays it physical, but sometimes that physicality is misunderstood in today’s game.”

Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans has endorsed Azeez Al-Shaair

Amid the fury over his tackle, Al-Shaair released a statement on Monday morning insisting that he did not see Lawrence slide until it was ‘too late’ and that he never intended to harm him on the pitch.

‘I’ve always played the game as hard as I can. Never with the intention of harming anyone, and everyone who knows me knows that,” Al-Shaair wrote. “My goal is to hit you as hard as I can, and then I pray that you are still able to get up and play the next game.” And when the game is over, go home unscathed to your family, because it’s not personal, it’s just competition! We’re both trying to do the same thing: take care of our families!

‘I really didn’t see him slide until it was too late. And it all happens in the blink of an eye.

“To Trevor, I would like to sincerely apologize for what ultimately happened. We spoke before the game and I told you how great it was to see you back on the field and wished you the best. I would never want a player to get hurt by a hit I give him, especially if it is deemed ‘late’ or ‘unnecessary’.

“For the rest of his teammates, I can certainly understand standing behind him and defending him in a situation like this. To the rest of the people I’ve been called by every name in the book, from reporters with their hands ready for a story to find their villain, to racist and Islamophobic fans and people: you don’t know my heart or my character. which I don’t have to prove to any of you.

“God knows my intentions and anyone who has ever been a teammate or friend of mine knows my heart.”