Really, DeMeco Ryans?

In the aftermath of Azeez Al-Shaair’s brutal hit that knocked Trevor Lawrence out with a concussion during Sunday’s game in Jacksonville, the NFL responded by suspending the Houston Texans linebacker for three games. Yet, the most disappointing reaction came from Ryans.

The Texans coach placed blame on the injured player.

“It’s two-fold, right?” Ryans said Monday, after having time to review the incident.

“A lot of quarterbacks nowadays might try to exploit the rules by sliding late to gain an extra yard. As a defender, it’s challenging because you can’t know whether the quarterback is still trying to run or if he’s going to slide. It can be confusing.”

This incident was not an accident at all. As a former Pro Bowl linebacker, Ryans should have a better understanding.

Sure, we’ve heard defensive players complain about safety rules for years, and quarterbacks often employ clever tactics to gain yards. Patrick Mahomes, the league’s top quarterback, is known for making defenders hesitate with his feints.

However, Lawrence’s situation was different. He had clearly signaled his intent to stop by sliding feet-first.

Nonetheless, Al-Shaair hit him with a forearm strike to the head and neck area. Whether intended or not, this action demonstrated a lack of sportsmanship and clearly violated the NFL’s player protection rules.

Yet, Ryans dismissed these key details.

“It’s unfortunate that Trevor got hurt,” the coach acknowledged. “I hope he recovers well, but when a quarterback is sliding, they need to make sure they get down properly. The rules are meant to keep quarterbacks safe, and they need to take care when sliding and keep their heads down.”

This line of reasoning from Ryans is shocking, especially from a rising coach in the NFL. I understand his motivation to protect one of his players, who has had issues before. But in doing so, Ryans has weakened his own credibility.

Instead of advocating for player safety, Ryans has unintentionally mocked the NFL’s attempts to protect vulnerable players.

Moreover, this sentiment isn’t exclusive to Ryans. Houston’s general manager, Nick Caserio, also stepped in, arguing that the NFL lacks uniformity in their disciplinary measures.

“One major concern for us as an organization is how the league has portrayed Azeez,” Caserio stated in a press conference. “It’s frankly unfair.”

Up to this point, Al-Shaair had never faced ejection or suspension prior to this incident, Caserio noted. He highlighted inconsistencies in the league’s penalties, citing other recent incidents but suggesting they didn’t receive similar disciplinary actions.

“In this situation,” Caserio mentioned, “there is absolutely no consistency in the penalties given.”

He even used strong language in defending Al-Shaair’s repute, who attended a United Way event on the same day as the incident. This punishment seems excessive given the circumstances.

The complaints regarding a clear head-to-head strike are quite misplaced.

It’s also worth considering if the Texans would be as lenient if another defender injured their quarterback, C.J. Stroud, in a similar way to how Lawrence was hit. Thankfully, Lawrence appears to be recovering well, based on updates he provided on social media after returning home.

Al-Shaair also took to social media, expressing remorse to Lawrence and apologizing. Interestingly, while Ryans condemned the Jaguars for reacting during the confrontation while Lawrence was on the ground—describing it as an “overreaction”—Al-Shaair saw the situation differently.

“To his teammates, I totally understand you wanting to defend him,” Al-Shaair wrote on X.

In the NFL’s notice to Al-Shaair, Jon Runyan, the league’s chief of enforcement, explained the escalation occurred after Al-Shaair “grabbed an opponent by the facemask and pulled him down.” Runyan noted that, following Al-Shaair’s ejection, he removed his helmet and caused another altercation while departing from the field.

Clearly, emotions ran high. We can understand why. The dangerous hit on Lawrence prompted a strong reaction from Jaguars players. Yet, Ryans attributed the blame to the Jaguars as well.

“The whole situation is about Azeez hitting the guy, but their sideline overreacted, setting off a brawl,” Ryans said. “It wasn’t our guys; their team escalated by pushing ours and trying to drag our player to the sidelines. That’s uncalled for.”

The suspension, which will keep Al-Shaair out of action until Week 18 if upheld, serves as an opportunity for a learning experience. Runyan pointed out that this isn’t the first instance where the linebacker has engaged in questionable behavior that jeopardizes safety. In Week 2, Al-Shaair was fined $11,817 for a late and unnecessary hit on Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, which was further compounded by a punch directed at running back Roschon Johnson after the play.

However, the opportunity for a teaching moment may hinge on acknowledging the clear evidence captured on video. This lesson is not just meant for the player responsible for the hit.