Texans’ Azeez Al-Shaair Claims He Was ‘Smeared’ By NFL While Reflecting On Three-Game Suspension

Azeez Al-Shaair is set to return to action for the Houston Texans in their regular-season finale on Sunday after serving a three-game suspension for his brutal hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence in Week 13. The linebacker shared a lengthy statement reflecting on his experience away from the field. While he expressed some regret, he also took a dig at the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell.

In the statement shared on social media, Al-Shaair revealed that he met with Goodell and two other NFL executives during his three-game suspension. The meeting didn’t serve as an opportunity for the NFL brass to solely scold him, instead, he took it as an opportunity to complain about how the league announced his suspension.

“I gave a ton of respect for those at the league office and the responsibility they have to uphold for player safety. Without going into detail, the meeting we had was productive and gave me hope for moving forward and playing the game that I love with continued best intentions, while also not having my character and integrity unjustifiably smeared.”

Al-Shaair was suspended a day after his hit on Lawrence, who suffered a concussion on the play that sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

READ: Azeez Al-Shaair Apologizes To Trevor Lawrence, Calls Fans ‘Racist’ And ‘Islamophobic’

While most NFL fans took issue with Al-Shaair’s hit on the Jacksonville quarterback, many didn’t agree with the harshness and dramatics behind the suspension announcement.

“Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL,” the NFL’s statement read in part. “Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated,” it continued.

Al-Shaair made it clear that he did not appreciate the NFL’s statement, but he did express a bit of regret for his actions, specifically how he handled himself after being ejected from the game against the Jaguars.

“In that conversation – man-to-man – I owned and acknowledged that my actions following my ejection were careless, and in that moment, I didn’t think about the responsibility I have been blessed with to represent the shield,” Al-Shaair’s statement read, referring to his meeting with Goodell.

Prior to being handed a three-game suspension, Al-Shaair had already been fined earlier in the season for throwing a punch at Chicago Bears’ running back Roschon Johnson in Week 2.