Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence will require surgery to repair an AC joint injury in his left shoulder. NFL.com.
Lawrence initially suffered a shoulder injury 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 Aziz Al-Shayr, which landed him on season-ending injured reserve.
But the hit briefly provoked Intense melee After being flagged on an Al-Shayr game between the two teams and subsequently handed a three-game suspension without pay.
Lawrence’s fourth NFL season ended after a disappointing 2-10 start. This is the second consecutive year Lawrence has suffered a shoulder injury.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) leaves the field on a cart after being injured by a late hit by Houston Texans linebacker Aziz Al-Shair during the first half of a game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/John Roux)
Last season, he suffered a shoulder injury in Week 16 in a 30-12 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He missed the team’s next game, the first in his career due to injury. He only missed games in college at Clemson in 2020 when he tested positive for COVID.
Lawrence, who signed a $275 million contract extension with the Jaguars in the offseason, will undergo the second major surgery of his life. He previously had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder before being drafted overall in 2021.
NFL All-Pro defender Trevor Lawrence sees ‘both sides’ of hit: ‘It’s tricky’
The hit was one of the most controversial moments of the 2024 NFL season, prompting backlash against Al-Shair and sparking conversations about player safety among current and former players. Tom Brady and Stephen Gilmore.
Al-Shair has apologized for the hit and insisted it was not intentional. The linebacker appealed his suspension, but The NFL upheld it.
Al-Shair spoke out against “racist and Islamophobic fans” following the public reaction to the incident.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) slides as Houston Texans linebacker Aziz Al-Shair (0) hits late in the second quarter, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. (Corey Perrin/Florida Times-Union)
“I’ve always played the game as hard as I can. With no intention of hurting anyone and anyone I know who knows that. My goal is to hit you as hard as I can, and then I pray that you’re still able to get up and make the next play,” he said in a statement. “And the game is When you’re done go home without harming your family because it’s not personal! It’s just a competition. We are both trying to do the same thing to provide for our families!
“I didn’t really see him slipping so late. And it happens in the blink of an eye. I sincerely apologize to you for what happened to Trevor. We spoke before the game and I told you how it was. It’s great to see you back on the field and I don’t blame any player especially ‘late.’ Don’t want to be hurt by a hit that’s considered ‘unnecessary.’ I can definitely understand that the rest of his teammates would have his back and protect him in such a situation.
Click here to get the Fox News app
Al-Shair was fined earlier this year for punching Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson on the sideline in a Week 2 game. The incident occurred during a brawl that began after Al-Shair’s hard shot on Bears quarterback Caleb Williams near the sideline was not flagged.
Multiple Jaguars players attacked Al-Shair in retaliation for the hit against Lawrence Sunday, leading to a violent melee.
Jaguars tight end Evan Engram was the first player to push and shove Al-Shair before other Jacksonville players were hit.
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence takes a break during the second half of the game against the Miami Dolphins on September 8, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Head coach Doug Pederson defended his team for its response on Wednesday.
“We’re not going to hurt anybody. We’re not going to ruin careers. We’re going to win the football game and play hard within the rules. That’s our job, how we coach it, how we play it,” Pederson said at a team press conference.
“If they’re asking or suggesting that we go after somebody, we’re not doing that. Flat out, we’re not doing that. That’s not how I coach. That’s not how I coach these teams, these players. We’re just going to go out and do our jobs, play hard, We play physically within the rules.
Texans head coach DiMeco Ryans suggested Lawrence should share the responsibility for the hit.
“We stand behind Aziz and everything that came of it,” Ryans said. “Obviously, an unfortunate hit on the quarterback, but it’s two-fold. A lot of quarterbacks in this day and age, they try to take advantage of the late slide rule and they try to get the extra yard.
“Now, you’re a defender, and there’s a lot of responsibility on the defender. … Unfortunately Trevor got hurt. We hope Trevor’s going to be OK. But, if we’re sliding, you’ve got to go down.”
Follow Fox News Digital Sports coverage in X, And subscribe Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter.
