Breaking News: Jaguars Star Hit With Heavy Fine for Defending Trevor Lawrence
The fallout following the injury of Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s concussion last Sunday in a matchup against the Houston Texans continues. While Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair has been given a three-game suspension following his controversial hit on Lawrence, another Jaguars has gotten a different kind of hit. According to insider Tom Pelissero, Jaguars star tight end Evan Engram has received $11,255 from the NFL for unnecessary roughness for going after Al-Shaair after his tackle of Lawrence.
During Sunday’s game, Trevor Lawrence attempted a run and slid to avoid a hit, but Al-Shaair came in late and delivered a low blow, striking the Jaguars’ quarterback in the head. The impact left Lawrence visibly hurt on the field, as he displayed the “fencing posture,” an involuntary reaction to a significant head injury.
Immediately following the hit, a massive brawl broke out between players from both the Jaguars and Texans, with some arguing that the altercation was sparked by Engram’s actions toward the linebacker. As a result, Al-Shaair was ejected from the game.
After the game, Engram defended his actions, saying he needed to defend his teammate. “It was a dirty hit. Obviously those hits are always in question. Trevor was going down and I saw it out of my peripheral [vision]. I got a pretty clear view of it, and in that moment, just [reacted on] instincts,” Engram said. It just didn’t feel like a clean hit, so just go stick up for my quarterback. I mean, I saw him sliding and then I saw the hit, and then just, honestly, it just took over. I just knew it was wrong. It was just a dirty play, and you stick up for your guys.”
The Jaguars have officially placed Lawrence on injured reserve due to a head injury, which will keep him sidelined for at least four games. This setback may ultimately end his 2024 season, marking a devastating turn for the star quarterback. It’s especially heartbreaking considering Lawrence had only just made his return in Week 12 after missing Weeks 9 and 10 with an AC joint injury. Al-Shaair has been suspended for three games, a decision upheld by NFL appeals officer Ramon Foster. The suspension stems from “repeated violations of rules designed to protect player health and safety, as well as promote sportsmanship.” The suspension will cost the linebacker three game checks, each valued at $112,745, amounting to a total of $338,235.
That’s significantly more than Engram was fined, but we can only watch and see if the fallout from this incident quiets down any time soon.
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