Houston Texans outside linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair’s three-game suspension has been upheld following a Wednesday appeal hearing, the league announced.
Al-Shaair, whose suspension was levied Tuesday and stems from an illegal hit Sunday on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, had his appeal heard by hearing officer Ramon Foster, who was jointly appointed by the NFL and NFL Players Association.
Al-Shaair will now officially miss Houston’s Week 15 game on Dec. 15 against the visiting Miami Dolphins, a Week 16 road game against the Kansas City Chiefs and a Christmas Day contest with the Baltimore Ravens. The Texans, who are currently in first place in the AFC South, are on bye this week. Al-Shaair will be eligible to return for the team’s Week 18 finale against the Tennessee Titans.
The Texans defender reacted on social media by posting that, “if you want me to be your villain, I’ll be your villain,” followed by a middle finger emoji.
The sixth-year pro’s punishment comes from him hitting a sliding Lawrence in the first half of the Texans’ 23-20 win.
Lawrence scrambled and slid, giving himself up before he was hit by an Al-Shaair forearm blow, which caused the quarterback to immediately go into the fencing position. The play led to a skirmish between the Texans and Jaguars, with Al-Shaair slow to leave the field following a subsequent ejection.
The Jaguars placed Lawrence on injured reserve on Wednesday.
The decision to uphold the appeal comes a day after Al-Shaiir’s suspension was announced and accompanied by stern words from NFL vice president of football operations Jon Runyan.