Logan Bowles/AP
Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair called out fans and the media for the backlash he received for his hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Late in the second quarter, Lawrence scrambled out of the pocket and tried to run for a first down. As Al-Shaair closed in on him, Lawrence slid in an effort to avoid a big hit. Al-Shaair, however, had already made the decision to go for the tackle and couldn’t stop his momentum. The result was an illegal hit on Lawrence that gave him a concussion and took him out of the game.
A fight broke out as Lawrence’s outraged teammates confronted the linebacker.
When things settled down the officials got everything under control, Al-Shaair was ejected for the hit. On his way out, Jaguars fans threw trash at him from the stands.
Al-Shaair on Monday apologized for the hit, saying in a statement that his intent was not to hurt the QB.
“I’ve always played the game as hard as I could,” he said. “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 unharmed because it’s not personal it’s just competition! We both are trying to do the same thing which is provide for our families! I genuinely didn’t see him sliding until it was too late. And it all happens 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.”
Al-Shaair then singled out reporters for trying to “find their villain,” the fans for their “racist and Islamophobic” response to the incident.
“To the rest of the people who I’ve been called every single name in the book from, reporters with their hands ready for a story to find their villain, to racist and Islamophobic fans and people,” Al-Shaair continued, “you don’t know my heart nor my character, which I don’t need 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.”
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