Doug Pederson announced on Wednesday that quarterback Trevor Lawrence is in concussion protocol and missed practice, according to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Pederson did not provide any additional updates on Lawrence’s injury.
Jacksonville Jaguars Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is in the NFL’s Concussion Protocol and Missed Practice on Wednesday.
During the second quarter against the Houston Texans, Lawrence took a hard hit to the head from linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. A brawl ensued between the two teams that led to the ejection of both Al-Shaair and Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones. Thankfully, Lawrence got up and sat down on a medical cart before being taken into the locker room.
Al-Shaair did take to social media the day after the game to “genuinely apologize” to Trevor Lawrence for his actions. He added that he “would never want to see any player hurt because of a hit I put on them, especially one that’s deemed ‘late’ or ‘unnecessary’.”
Two days later, the NFL announced that it was suspending Al-Shaair for three games. Jon Runyan, the NFL’s vice president of football operations, sent a letter to Al-Shaair explaining how the league came to this decision.
“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,” Runyan wrote. “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.”
Did The NFL Handle This Situation Well?
There have been many instances of the National Football League not handling controversy well during the Roger Goodell administration. They completely botched their handling of the Ray Rice assault case. One could also make an argument that the league didn’t handle Deflategate or the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal well. However, the NFL has a clear issue with concussions and their links to CTE, so the league needed to get Al-Shaair’s suspension right.
A three-game suspension seems like a fair punishment, but some could argue that he should be suspended even longer. Earlier this season, Al-Shaair punched Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson, leading to a fine of $11,817. He also received a flag and an $11,000+ fine for hitting Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard out of bounds. He has a history of unnecessary roughness and finable offenses.
It was suggested Al-Shaair should be suspended for the number of games Lawrence misses due to the head injury. This would make an example out of him, but the NFL does not take the eye-for-an-eye approach. Plus, Lawrence could miss the rest of the year, which means that Al-Shaair’s suspension would carry over into next season.
The NFL likely doesn’t want to continue highlighting this late hit. As a result, the league landed on a three-game suspension in hopes of sending a message to all players.
Main Photo Courtesy of Jeremy Reper – Imagn Images
