Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair received a three-game suspension for his hit on Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence. Had the NFL stuck to its initial instincts, however, his punishment was poised to be even worse.
The league initially planned to suspend Al-Shaair for the remainder of the regular season for the blow to the head, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. Eventually, the league decided on the three-game ban that was later upheld on appeal.
A season suspension only would have added one extra game to Al-Shaair’s punishment, but it is quite telling that it was a serious consideration. The linebacker had never been suspended before, so perhaps the league felt that would have been too harsh. The Texans were very clear that they found it over-the-top even at three games.
Al-Shaair initially apologized for the hit, but did not back down after the suspension was upheld. The league will probably have him under a microscope once he returns to the field in Week 18.
