Play Surrounding Jaguars' Lawrence Sparks Massive Debate Around the NFL

The Jacksonville Jaguars were in the middle of a huge controversy on Sunday. It has sparked a league-wide conversation.

Dec 1, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) slides down in front of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) in the second quarter in the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

On Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars nearly overcame a double-digit deficit against the Houston Texans. While the fourth quarter got interesting down the stretch, the game was highlighted by a late hit from a Texans defender while sliding to the ground.

Some believe the hit was dirty; others believe Lawrence initiated his slide too late. Jaguars linebacker Foye Oluokon made it clear where he stood on the issue. He believes the hit was dirty.

“I understand being aggressive,” Oluokon said. “I understand making sure, running, he doesn’t get the first down. He slid. He slid, and you went low. Like, if he didn't slide, he was going low. If that's how you're going to tackle a quarterback, that's just weird anyway. He’s a quarterback, he’s not going—you’re going to stand him up and run the feet, drive him back. Instead, you saw him slide, and he went down after he slid, basically. 

“So, mindset-wise, I understand that tacking mindset. I don’t understand the finish of the play. I'm not trying to throw him under the bus, but as a defender, I understand playing on defense, the mindset we have while trying to run up and make a tackle. But he did. He slid pretty—you understand that you messed up. He understands that he messed up.”

The Jaguars responded well to Lawrence's scary hir. Still, the damage had been done, as he will likely be out for the rest of the season.

Oluokon noted that players on both sides of the ball have a difficult task. The ball carrier has to time their slide right, and the defender has to try not to hit the ball carrier too high or too low.

Lawrence's injury also adds the fact that the defenders must make this decision in the blink of an eye/ The play Lawrence was injured on has sparked league-wide conversation on the matter.

“I can talk from both sides,”  Oluokon said.  “As a defensive player, he's running for the first down. I can see you’re running, giving your max effort, but just the way that he went about the actual tackle part of it. Trevor slid, you know quarterbacks slide, and it was—he slid. So, you going low anyway, like, what were you aiming for?

"And then, you made that—it was a dirty play. I'm not going to say he’s a dirty person, but it was a dirty play. He knows better. I think in his mind, he knows he shouldn't have done that. As a defender, I understand being aggressive and wanting to make every play. I saw he said something about trying to hit everybody as hard as he can. For sure, I understand that mindset. But you understand how the game is played, especially today, and there's no room for that in the game right now.”

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