Houston Texas Azeez Al-Shaair issued a statement Monday night as he prepares to return to the team following a three-game suspension for a hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Al-Shaair thanked Texans owners Cal and Hannah McNair, general manager Nick Caserio and head coach DeMeco Ryans, and others who defended him. because of the beating.
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Houston Texans quarterback Azeez Al-Shaair, #0, reacts after being ejected against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second quarter at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, on December 1, 2024. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
“While many jumped at the first opportunity to pick up on the fake story – that I was a dirty player or a bad person – the messages from everyone standing around me were the only things which kept me mentally stable during the isolation,” he said.
He said losing control of the time was “an embarrassing and eye-opening moment” and expressed remorse for his actions.
Al-Shaair said he met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and managers Troy Vincent and Jon Runyan. He made it clear to them that he did not feel that Runyan's statement about him before the suspension was in good character. He said their meeting was fruitful.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, #16, skates past Houston Texans quarterback Azeez Al-Shaair, #0, in the second quarter at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida, on December 1, 2024. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)
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“Finally I will say that this world is full of unrighteous people who can't wait to destroy you, but if you walk in love and compassion, the seeds of good that you have planted in the lives of others can “It's great. It gives you comfort and compassion when you need it most,” he said.
“I'm a man of God, I'm a leader, a fighter and a lover. I'm also a footballer and I'm grateful to be back doing what I love.”
Al-Shaair will return for the Texans' next game. Houston is on a two game losing streak.
Lawrence's hit really cost the Jaguars star the rest of the season. He was taken out of the game with a concussion, and it was later decided that he would undergo surgery on the shoulder he injured earlier in the year.
Players fight after Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, #0, hits Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence with a back tackle during the first half of an NFL football game on Sunday, December 1, 2024, in Jacksonville, Florida. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
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Al-Shaair was beaten by hanging while Runyan called the song “unacceptable and a serious violation of the rules of the game.”
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