Houston Texans coach DeMeco Ryans took the chance on Tuesday to defend linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, who was suspended by the NFL for 3 video games after leveling a violent hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence throughout the group’s Week 13 win.
“With all the Azeez scenario, we stand behind Azeez,” Ryans mentioned, by way of KPRC2. “It is two-fold. Lots of quarterbacks this present day, they attempt to reap the benefits of the rule or they slide late and so they attempt to get an additional yard. You are a defender, loads of onus is on the defender. Whether or not it is on the sideline or whether or not it is on the quarterback, you do not want what a man is considering. You do not know if a man is staying up and he is persevering with to run. You do not know, and then you definately get a late slide and also you hit the man.
“It is unlucky that Trevor bought harm. I hope Trevor is okay. However it’s additionally, while you’re sliding, it’s a must to get down. Getting out of bounds or getting down, that rule is there to guard the quarterbacks. We would like our quarterbacks to be protected within the league. So we simply should be protected and once we’re sliding, ensure that we’re maintaining our heads down. Your entire factor, Azeez hits the man, however their sideline overreacts and it turns right into a melee. However it wasn’t our guys. Their group overreacted, dragging our man, pushed our man to the sideline. So, that is uncalled for on that aspect.”
Ryans might be right that there’s a problem with late-sliding quarterbacks. We have seen it in each the NFL and faculty soccer. However he is incorrect that the difficulty is related to this explicit slide. Lawrence bought down in loads of time.
The Jaguars might have “overreacted” to the hit itself, however in addition they reacted in what’s fairly commonplace vogue for an NFL group whose quarterback will get laid out by a success just like the one Al-Shaair laid on Lawrence. The scenario would not have escalated if not for the hit being leveled within the first place.
After defending Al-Shaair’s hit, Ryans additionally went on at size in regards to the linebacker’s character and management.
“He is an distinctive chief for us. He is a very good chief for us and he performs the sport the correct means,” Ryans mentioned. “His intent is rarely to harm anybody as he is taking part in the sport. Anybody that is aware of Azeez, talks to Azeez — no one with a much bigger coronary heart than Azeez. This man’s a particular man that I’ve recognized since 2019. Particular younger man, love working with him.
“For any image that is painted of him being a unclean participant or doing one thing intentional, that is the precise reverse of what Azeez is. Individuals who know Azeez, they understand how he performs the sport. Sure, he performs it quick. He performs it bodily. However typically that bodily nature will get misunderstood in in the present day’s recreation.”
Once more, it is totally attainable that Al-Shaair is a unbelievable chief and even an awesome individual; it is simply not related as to whether the hit on Lawrence was soiled — which it was. Good leaders and other people can do issues which are incorrect. It occurs on a regular basis, and it occurred right here. The NFL reacted accordingly.
