The Jacksonville Jaguars placed quarterback Trevor Lawrence (concussion) on injured reserve Wednesday, likely ending his season after a vicious illegal hit in last week’s loss to the Houston Texans.
Lawrence, slammed in the head and neck by Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after giving himself up, would be eligible to return Week 18. However, the 2-10 Jags are already eliminated from playoff contention.
Mac Jones will start for the Jags this week against the Tennessee Titans.
Al-Shaair, meanwhile, was suspended three games by the NFL on Tuesday.
Lawrence, 25, has thrown for 2,045 yards, 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 10 starts this season. He also missed time with a left (non-throwing) shoulder injury.
Lawrence was carrying the ball and went into a feet-first slide at Houston’s 45-yard line during the second quarter of Sunday’s game. Al-Shaair launched into him and delivered a forearm shot near the quarterback’s head and shoulder.
Multiple skirmishes erupted as Lawrence lay prone on the field. Al-Shaair was ejected, along with Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones.
Lawrence immediately displayed the hand motion known as the fencing posture that is associated with traumatic brain injury. However, he was able to stand after being attended to briefly, and he sat up while being taken to the locker room on a cart.
Al-Shaair took to social media Monday to apologize but the NFL was unmoved, announcing the three-game suspension on Tuesday. He is appealing.
Al-Shaair, 27, is a repeat offender this season, having just been fined $11,255 for a late hit on Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard last week. He was also fined $11,817 for punching Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson in a Week 2 game. That came after a sideline skirmish that began after Al-Shaair hit Bears quarterback Caleb Williams late out of bounds but wasn’t flagged.
Lawrence has thrown for 13,815 yards, 69 TDs and 46 INTs since being selected No. 1 overall by the Jags in the 2021 draft out of Clemson.
