DeMeco Ryans Shows Support For Azeez Al-Shaair, Makes Jaguars Claim

Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans got honest about Azeez Al-Shaair's situation.

Oct 31, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Houston Texans DeMeco Ryans reacts during the second half of their game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images / Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

The Houston Texans secured a recent win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, but that wasn't the biggest storyline to come from the game. Instead, all eyes were on the pending punishment of Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair.

Al-Shaair had an arguably dirty hit on Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, which sparked a reaction from Jacksonville's sideline and provoked a bit of a brawl.

The Texans linebacker received a three-game suspension following the hit on the quarterback. However, before the suspension was ruled, Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans showed his support of Al-Shaair, despite the backlash he has gotten.

READ MORE: Texans' Azeez Al-Shaair Suspended For 3 Games After Hit On Trevor Lawrence

"We stand behind Azeez and everything that came from that," Ryans said. "Of course, the unfortunate hit on the quarterback, but it’s also two-fold. A lot of the quarterbacks in this day and age they try to take advantage of the rule where they slide late and they try to get an extra yard. ... Unfortunate that Trevor got hurt. We hope Trevor is OK. But it’s also if we’re sliding we’ve got to get down; if we’re getting out of bounds, we get out of bounds. That rule is there to protect the quarterbacks and we want our quarterbacks to be safe in the league."

Ryans expanded on the situation, too, making a claim about Jacksonville's sideline and their reaction to the hit and how it might have made the situation worse.

"The entire thing is Azeez hits the guy, but their sideline overreacts and it turns into a melee. It wasn’t our guys. Their team overreacted, pushed our guy, dragging our guy to the sideline, so that’s uncalled for on that side. We have to be better on the sideline," Ryans claimed.

The entire situation is unfortunate, but the most relieving aspect of it all is that Lawrence is okay.

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READ MORE: Texans WR Nico Collins Shines vs. Jaguars

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