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Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence did not get the warm welcome he was looking for in Week 13 after a two-game absence. Near the end of the second quarter, Lawrence was sent back to the locker room after a blatantly late hit from Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair led to a massive in-game brawl.
After scrambling out of the pocket, Lawrence attempted to slide near the Texans' 45-yard line, where he was laid out by Al-Shaair. The linebacker's full launch into an extended forearm led to tight end Evan Engram aggressively pursuing him after the hit, followed by the entire Jaguars' offense and bench.
After the dust settled, Al-Shaair and Engram were handed personal fouls. Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones also received a personal foul after intervening from the sidelines. Al-Shaair was ejected from the game — as expected — along with Jones. Al-Shaair can also expect to receive a sizeable postgame fine if he somehow manages to avoid a suspension.
As he was being removed from the game, Al-Shaair removed his helmet and continued jawing with Jaguars guard Brandon Scherff. Additionally, the 27-year-old required a police escort into the locker room as he was showered with boos from the EverBank Stadium crowd.
Lawrence's shoulder injury that kept him sidelined for two games was not the issue that required a cart to get him off the field. As Al-Shaair's forearm led directly into Lawrence's head, the back of the quarterback's helmet slammed hard into the turf, causing him to display the infamous “fencing” response, indicating a serious brain injury.
Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence ruled out for remainder of Week 13
Backup quarterback Mac Jones, who started the previous two games with Lawrence out, continued the drive for the Jaguars. Lawrence was ruled out for the remainder of the game with a concussion just moments later.
Mac Jones entered the game with just four minutes remaining before halftime. He would attempt just two passes in the first half, completing one of them for five yards. He added nearly 30 yards to Jacksonville's active drive that ended with a 33-yard field goal to give the Texans a 6-3 halftime lead.
It is unclear how serious Lawrence's injury is, though the fact that he was ruled out almost immediately is clearly not a good sign. After Week 13, the Jaguars have five games remaining in the 2024 regular season. It remains to be seen if Lawrence will miss additional games that could put the rest of his season in jeopardy.
