Trevor Lawrence needs surgery after illegal hit from Texans' Azeez Al-Shaair: report

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence will require surgery to repair an AC joint injury in his left shoulder, according to NFL.com. 

Lawrence initially injured his shoulder in Week 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles and missed two games before returning Sunday against the Houston Texans. He was the victim of an illegal hit by Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair that landed him on season-ending injured reserve.

The hit incited a brief but intense melee between the two teams after Al-Shaair was flagged on the play and later dealt a three-game suspension without pay. 

Lawrence's fourth NFL season ended after a disappointing 2-10 start. It's the second year in a row Lawrence has injured his shoulder. 

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Last season, he sustained a shoulder injury in a 30–12 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 16. He missed the team's next game, the first he had missed in his career due to injury. He had only missed games in college at Clemson when he tested positive for COVID in 2020. 

Lawrence, who signed a $275 million contract extension with the Jaguars in the offseason, will undergo the second major surgery of his life. He previously had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder before he was drafted first overall in 2021. 

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The hit has become one of the most controversial moments of the 2024 NFL season, prompting backlash against Al-Shaair and sparking conversations about player safety among current and former players like Tom Brady and Stephon Gilmore.

Al-Shaair has apologized for the hit and insisted it wasn't intentional. The linebacker appealed his suspension, but the NFL upheld it. 

Al-Shaair also spoke out against "racist and Islamophobic fans" in the aftermath of the public response to the incident. 

"I’ve always played the game as hard as I could. 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," he said in a statement. "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 was fined earlier this year after he punched Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson on the sideline during a Week 2 game. The incident occurred during a scuffle that started after Al-Shaair's hard shot on Bears quarterback Caleb Williams near the sideline wasn’t flagged.

The hit against Lawrence Sunday resulted in multiple Jaguars players pouncing on Al-Shaair in retaliation, leading to the violent melee. 

Jaguars tight end Evan Engram was the first player seen pushing and shoving Al-Shaair after the hit before other Jacksonville players followed.

Head coach Doug Pederson defended his team Wednesday for its response. 

"We’re not out to hurt anybody. We’re not out to ruin careers. We’re out to win a football game and play hard within the rules. That’s our job. That’s how we coach it, that’s how we play it," Pederson said at a team press conference. 

"If they’re asking or suggesting we go after someone, we’re not doing that. Flat out, we are not doing that. It’s not how I coach. It’s not how I’m going to coach these teams, these players. We’re just going to go out and do our jobs. Play hard, play fast, play physical within the rules."

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans suggested Lawrence should share responsibility for the hit. 

"We stand behind Azeez and everything that came from that," Ryans said. "Of course, unfortunate hit on a quarterback, but it's two-fold. A lot of the quarterbacks in this day and age, they try to take advantage of the rule where they slide late, and they try to get an extra yard. 

"Now, you're a defender, and a lot of onus is on the defender. … Unfortunate that Trevor got hurt. We hope Trevor's OK. But, also, if we're sliding, you have to get down."

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