‘I’ll Be Your Villain!’: Texans’ Azeez Al-Shaair Defiant After NFL Upholds Ban for Brutal Hit on Trevor Lawrence

Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair posted a cryptic message on X Wednesday, saying he would play the “villain” after the NFL rejected his appeal of the three-game suspension the league gave him following his illegal hit on Trevor Lawrence on Sunday.

“IF YOU WANT ME TO BE YOUR VILLAIN, ILL BE YOUR VILLAIN! SEE YOU SOON,” Al-Shaair wrote after learning of his suspension.

The post contained four pictures: one of Al-Shaair being introduced before a game, another of the Joker, one pic of the “Free Palestine” cleats Al-Shaair wore on Sunday, and another picture of a quote about “beauty” in being rejected and misunderstood.

The suspension stems from an incident late in the second quarter of the Texans’ game against the Jaguars when Al-Shaair hit Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence as he slid.

Al-Shaair’s forearm blow to Lawrence’s head led to a wild fight between the two teams. Al-Shaair was penalized and ejected for the hit.

After the game, Al-Shaair apologized for the hit and insisted there was no malicious intent.

“I’ve always played the game as hard as I could,” Al-Shaair wrote. “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!”

Al-Shaair added, “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.”

The Jaguars placed Lawrence on IR Wednesday due to an unrelated shoulder injury.

The Texans are on a bye week, so the three-game suspension will not begin until the Texans face the Dolphins on December 15. Al-Shaair will be able to play against the Titans in the final game of the regular season.