The Jacksonville Jaguars lost 23-20 to the Houston Texans on Sunday. That result in their moribund season wasn’t the worst thing. However, quarterback Trevor Lawrence absorbing a concussion following a brutal second quarter hit was not a good development.
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This makes me sick.
Hoping for a speedy recovery from Trevor Lawrence. #Jaguars #Texans pic.twitter.com/qdOnU0DMEw
— Henry McKenna (@henrycmckenna) December 1, 2024
Lawrence immediately left the game and did not return. Head coach Doug Pederson spoke on the collision postgame, saying its occurrence was “unfortunate.”
“It’s a play that nobody wants to see in our league… you see what happens after the fact, and it just escalates. I’ve got a lot of respect for [Houston head] coach [Demeco] Ryans, and I know he doesn’t coach his team that way… it’s unfortunate… I’m just glad Trevor’s gonna be fine.”
Houston linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was ejected for the hit on Lawrence. At halftime, Ryans told FOX Sports’ sideline reporter Laura Okmin that Al-Shaair’s tackle “does not represent” the Texans’ approach to football. Quarterback C.J. Stroud confirmed this in his own postgame talk with Okmin, saying he “[hopes] Azeez learns from” the incident.
“Prayers up for Trev. I hope Azeez learns from this, but you know I am still rocking with my brother. I know he didn’t intend to do that.”
CJ Stroud is with @LauraOkmin pic.twitter.com/XZpBYBnPdf
— NFL on FOX Podcast (@NFLonFOXPod) December 1, 2024
Jaguars fans pelted Azeez with concession items as he walked back to the locker room. This was his second ejection-worthy moment of the season; back in Week 2, he punched Chicago Bears running back Roschon Johnson on the sideline. Azeez was not penalized for that altercation, but it could lengthen his potential suspension for the Lawrence hit.
Trevor Lawrence’s concussion reaction resembled Tua Tagovailoa’s
Jacksonville’s franchise signal-caller suffered his first concussion last season versus the Baltimore Ravens. Today’s ailment appeared much worse than that one. It may have been lost amidst the chaos that ensued after the hit, but Lawrence’s body assumed the “fencing posture” right after he was contacted.
Watch Trevor Lawrence immediately after this horrific hit. His right arm suddenly flexes as his left arm simultaneously extends. This is known as the “fencing posture”—an involuntary reflex that occurs after impact in blunt head trauma. It signifies a traumatic brain injury with… pic.twitter.com/Saa8j8cffJ
— Sam Ghali, M.D. (@EM_RESUS) December 1, 2024
Lawrence cleared protocol and avoided missing the Jags’ next game in 2023 after taking a blow to the head. However, it seems unlikely he will be able to do so this go-round because of this concussion’s apparent severity.
A reporter asked Pederson if the latest injury – coupled with Jacksonville’s 2-10 record – has him considering benching Lawrence for the remainder of the 2024 campaign. Pederson said that wasn’t something he “[hadn’t] thought about.” With the Jaguars as far removed from the playoff picture as possible, letting Lawrence get a head start on his offseason could be beneficial for the franchise’s long-term outlook.
