Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair spoke out Monday following his three-game suspension for his hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Al-Shaair is slated to return to the field Sunday for the Texans’ Week 18 contest against the Tennessee Titans. The 27-year-old posted a nine-paragraph statement on X.
In his message, Al-Shaair thanked those who stood by him amid the backlash. He described the experience of seeing replays of his hit on Lawrence as “an embarrassing and eye-opening moment.”
Al-Shaair also revealed that he had met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL executives Troy Vincent and Jon Runyon during his suspension. While Al-Shaair said he owned up to his mistake during the meeting, he also expressed his displeasure toward the way the NFL had announced his suspension.
You can read the NFL’s full statement announcing Al-Shaair’s suspension here.
“During my suspension, I was able to meet with Commissioner Goodell, Troy Vincent, Jon Runyon 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,” wrote Al-Shaair, via ClutchPoints’ Matty Breisch. “I gave 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.”
— Azeez Al-shaair (@A_train2_) December 31, 2024
Al-Shaair closed his statement on a positive note. He implored fans to “move with love and compassion” in a world full of negativity.
The NFL reportedly considered an even harsher punishment for Al-Shaair but ultimately ruled against it.
