Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence will need surgery to repair AC joint damage 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 and was placed on season-ending injured reserve.
The hit sparked a brief but violent brawl between the two teams, after Al Shail was booked for the play and subsequently suspended for three games without pay.
Lawrence's fourth season in the NFL ended with a disappointing start, going 2-10. This is the second year in a row that Lawrence has injured his shoulder.
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Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, 16, is hit by Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al Shaair during the first half of the game on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024 in Jacksonville, Florida. He is injured and leaves the field in a cart. (AP Photo/John Rau)
Last season, he injured his shoulder in Week 16 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a 30-12 loss. It was the first time in his career that he missed the team's next game due to injury. He only missed a game at Clemson in 2020 when he tested positive for the coronavirus.
Lawrence, who signed a $275 million contract extension with the Jaguars in the offseason, will undergo the second major surgery of his life. He underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder before being drafted No. 1 overall in 2021.
Seeing 'both sides' of NFL All-Pro defender Trevor Lawrence's hitting: 'It's tricky'
The hit became one of the most controversial moments of the 2024 NFL season, sparking a backlash against Al Shaair and sparking discussions about player safety among current and former players such as Tom Brady and Stephon Gilmore. caused a stir.
Al Shail apologized for the blow and insisted it was not intentional. The linebacker appealed his suspension, which the NFL granted.
Mr Al Sha'ir also spoke out against “racist and Islamophobic fans” following public reaction to the incident.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, 16, hits Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al during the second quarter on Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida.・Shaair (0 years old) slips when taking a late hit. (Cory Perine/Florida Times Union)
“I've always played the game as hard as I can. It was never my intention to hurt anyone and anyone who knows me knows that. My goal is to hit you as hard as I can. , so I hope you still win. Get up and make the next play,” he said in a statement. “And when the game is over, go home to your family without any injuries, because it's nothing personal! It's just a competition. We're both trying to do the same thing, provide for our families. !”
“I didn't really see him sliding until it was too late and it all happened in the blink of an eye. I sincerely apologize to Trevor for what happened as a result. We talked and talked about how it happened.'' We were happy to see you back on the field, especially when a player was injured by a hit that was deemed “delayed'' or “unnecessary.'' I never want to see you do that. To all his teammates, I can definitely see you supporting him and protecting him in a situation like that. ”
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Al Shair was fined earlier this year for punching Chicago Bears running back Roshon Johnson on the sideline during a Week 2 game. The incident occurred during a scuffle that began near the sideline after Al Shaair took a hard shot at Bears quarterback Caleb Williams that was not flagged.
The hit against Lawrence on Sunday led to multiple Jaguars players jumping on Al Shair in retaliation, leading to a violent scuffle.
Jaguars tight end Evan Engram was the first player seen pushing Al Shaair after the hit, followed by other Jacksonville players.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence takes a break during the second half of a game against the Miami Dolphins on September 8, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP Photo/Wilfried Lee)
Head coach Doug Pederson defended his team's response Wednesday.
“We're not doing it to hurt anyone. We're not doing it to ruin careers. We're doing it to win football games and play hard within the rules. That's what we do. That's how we coach, that's how we play,'' Pederson said in the team's press conference.
“If they're asking us or suggesting we go after someone, we're not doing that. To be clear, we're not doing that. That's not how I coach. That's not how I coach these teams and these players.''We just go out there and play hard, play fast and play physical within the rules. ”
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans suggested that Lawrence should share the blame for the hit.
“We support Azeez and everything that comes out of it,” Lyons said. “Of course, there are times when the quarterback gets an unlucky hit, but that's twofold. A lot of quarterbacks in this day and age use the late-sliding rule to gain extra yards. try to get it.
“Right now you're a defender and there's a lot of strain on defenders. … It's unfortunate that Trevor got hurt. We hope Trevor is okay. But also… If the guys are sliding, you have to get off.”
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