Linebacker Azeez Al-Shair was in the center of NFL headlines last year, but this time, he insists that he cares more about football than feuds. Ahead of Houston’s next divisional contest with Jacksonville, Al-Shaair was over the hit that knocked Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence out with a concussion and the controversy that altered both of their trajectories.

During a recent media interaction, Al-Shair was questioned regarding the ugly moment. He leaned into presentism. “This league is physical, violent, and then you never know when is your last play,” Al-Shair said. “So, the mentality is you got to do it now, you can’t wait….never won a Super Bowl…and I’ve been on Super Bowl teams, you just got to do it right now …. we’re desperate every single week to get a win.” His words emphasized that he will let his play on the field do the talking instead of bringing up old controversy. The sixth-year linebacker said he feels unjustly criticized by others, including some fans.

When asked about how he felt misunderstood after last year’s incident, he said, “I am gonna let these shoulder pads talk right here. I don’t got to say much. It’s not really up to me to really make somebody understand who I am. If you know me and blessed to be around me, then you know who I am. And if you are not, I’ll just pray for you.”. Al-Shair got a lot of backlash from fans after the hit. He is just focused on putting in his work and letting his pads do the talking for him.

“I’ve gotten all type of crazy stuff since that day, and I still get it to this day from people just in general,” he said. “Either way, that’s between them and God. But I have no clue. I know I’m going to go out there and do what I’ve done my entire career — play as hard as I can.” The vicious 2024 blow occurred on a slide to the ground by Lawrence.

Al-Shair’s helmet made contact with the quarterback’s facemask, immediately putting the Jaguars star into a fencing stance, a telltale sign of brain injury. The devastating hit triggered an immediate sideline-clearing brawl between both teams. Lawrence was carted off the field and later placed on injured reserve with a concussion. Al-Shair was ejected for the hit, and while walking to the locker room, a fan struck him on the helmet with a thrown water bottle, adding to the ugly incident.

Al-Shair apologized publicly to Lawrence through social media. “I’ve been on the other side of these hits and I know how scary they can be,” he said at the time, noting that the strike wasn’t intended to occur and that he held Lawrence in high esteem as an opponent. Discipline from the NFL came shortly afterwards.

League vice president of policy and rules administration Jon Runyan deemed the hit “unacceptable” and described Al-Shair’s “continued disregard” for rules on player safety. The linebacker was fined and suspended, losing around $265,000 of his $1.5 million base salary.

He fired back defiantly on social media at that time: “IF YOU WANT ME TO BE YOUR VILLAIN, I’LL BE YOUR VILLAIN! SEE YOU SOON…” The post reflected the frustration he had with being typecast as irresponsible or malicious. On the other hand, Trevor Lawrence has recuperated and has moved on. He is looking to have a great season without injuries.

Trevor Lawrence moves on

On the other side, Trevor Lawrence has indicated he’s not dwelling. ”I’m past that, way past that at this point in my life,” Lawrence stated on Wednesday. “It’s not something I’ve thought about since then. Everybody’s different. It’s football. It’s a violent game. Obviously, it’s unfortunate when things like that happen.” When asked if he would have anything particular to say to Al-Shair before the coin flip, Lawrence brushed it aside and said he would treat him “like whoever was out there.”

New Jaguars coach Liam Coen also tamped down speculation about retribution or emotional carryover from last season’s collision. “If that’s on our minds, then we’re probably thinking about the wrong things right now,” Coen said. The Jaguars, sitting at 1-1, have more immediate priorities, namely rebounding from a Week 2 loss against the Bengals. Texans are still looking for their first win of the season.

Both teams are in critical situations. The Texans (0-2) are desperate to escape a third consecutive loss, and the Jaguars (1-1) are eager to grab the AFC South divisional crown and prove the mettle of which two-time defending division champions are fashioned. For Lawrence, it’s his opportunity to demonstrate toughness and leadership in adversity. For all the clashes that accompanied their past, the actual story of Al-Shair vs. Lawrence could be how quickly each can move on from it.