NFL

Texans GM Irate After NFL Suspends Azeez Al-Shaair Following ‘Dirty Hit’

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During the Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars game on Sunday, quarterback Trevor Lawrence took a shot from linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, causing him to leave the rest of the game with a head injury.

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As Al-Shaair was ejected, fans reacted to the controversial hit, with many citing that it was a dirty play.

The six-year player has since been handed a three-game suspension by the NFL, and evidently not everyone agrees with this decision.

In particular, Texans general manager Nick Caserio responded to this while speaking to reporters on Tuesday.

"We're going to say Azeez Al-Shaair, nobody embodies our program more than Azeez," Caserio said about the team's captain. "What he's about, what he's been through, you all know his story. There's not a more selfless individual who's more about the team, who's earned the respect, that represents everything we want this program to be about. I mean, this morning, he's at a United Way event."

He continued sticking up for his player, by referencing that he believes Azeez was wrongfully portrayed.

"So some of the commentary that's been made about his character, who he is and what his intentions are, from people who quite frankly don't know anything about Azeez Al-Shaair. And for the league to make some of the commentary he made about lack of sportsmanship, lack of coachability, lack of paying attention to the rules, quite frankly, it's embarrassing."

"What we take umbrage to is the picture that's been painted about Azeez, his intentions, who he is as a person, I mean quite frankly, it's bulls—t," Caserio concluded. "And it's unfair to the individual. It's unfair to the organization ... To speak about Azeez's intentionality, what he intended to do and some of the comments that have been made, quite frankly, it's embarrassing."

Head coach DeMeco Ryans also had Al-Shaair's back on Sunday during the postgame press conference.

Whether Al-Shaair's hit was intentional or not can't be fully known, but he does have previous incidents throughout his career where he has demonstrated unnecessary roughness.

Tom Brady, who played against Al-Shaair, actually spoke on this incident, but he didn't put all the blame on the Texans linebacker. The seven-time Super Bowl winner actually held the quarterbacks responsible for how they protect themselves in the game.

That is to say, just like head coach Ryans and GM Caserio, some fans have also been on Al-Shaair's side after dissecting the hit on Lawrence.

Fox26 Houston reporter, Will Kunkel, also noted that Al-Shaair just plays with extra determination as a physical linebacker in the National Football League.

Quoting the 27-year-old player, "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."

Nevertheless, the majority of people are still against the Texans linebacker, as Lawrence suffered a concussion during this illegal hit.

All in all, Al-Shaair did issue out an apology following the backlash received, but he will not be able to play until Week 18, when the Texans vs. his former team, the Tennessee Titans.

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