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When Azeez Al-Shaair leveled Trevor Lawrence with a concussion-inducing hit that sent the former onto the suspended list and the latter onto IR, it effectively served as an inflection point in the 2024 NFL season.
Before the hit, everything was normal; the NFL treated fans to impressive two-way bouts, and it looked like defense was finally punching back after years of offensive dominance. But after? Suddenly, it seemed like every player in the NFL was asked about their opinion on the matter, with Jameis Winston of the Cleveland Browns being no exception.
Discussing the hit during his weekly media session, Winston used his platform to make an impassioned plea to the NFL to clean things up, as quarterbacks need a better way to protect themselves from season-altering hits.
“Personally, as a quarterback, man, we have to be able to protect ourselves. When we're sliding in the middle of defenders, feet first, that's tough. They're taught to hunt, and I think in terms of the defender, man, I do believe that sometimes you can let up, and you can let them go, but man, that's tough. This is football that we play. And the NFL has done so much to protect the quarterback position, especially within the pocket,” Winston told reporters.
“When we're outside the pocket…I had a play where I knew it was helmet to helmet, but I was getting sacked and I asked John (Hussey), I said, ‘John, help me'. He said, ‘Jameis, you're getting sacked and you're getting thrown around, I didn't know the guy was going to hit you in the head'. You know what I'm saying? And he didn't say that, but that's what I heard. I know I got hit in the head. But I believe, man, it's an unfortunate situation, and I hope Trevor is healing well. But I think as quarterbacks, when you slide feet first into a crowd of defenders, man, they're taught to hunt. We have to find a better way to protect ourselves. And I just, I think the three-game suspension, it's out of my control, but I just, I think everyone has a role in protecting the quarterback, defenders, and ourselves.”
Is Winston correct? Does the NFL need to either figure out a way to better enforce the rules or come up with some new ones that keep quarterbacks upright? Potentially so, but his opinion wasn't the only one aired out by the Browns' organization because Kevin Stefanski had plenty to say on the matter, too.
Kevin Stefanski reflects on the Trevor Lawrence hit, too
Asked during his Friday media session about the Lawrence hit, Stefanski noted that he felt Trevor Lawrence was in the right on the play, as when he went to slide, Al-Shaair should have pivoted from dropping the hammer.
“Obviously, you hate to see that. I mean, nobody wants to see any player in that position. It is a teaching moment for our quarterbacks that when you slide feet first, you do expose your upper body and your helmet and neck area,” Stefanski told reporters.
“So, we do teach them, obviously, in a crowd to get down headfirst. And I'm not talking about that specific play, just talking about how we're teaching our guys. Defensively, we know when those players give themselves up, and they do go feet first, we have to do everything in our power to avoid any contact towards their head and neck area.”
Was this hit an aberration, one player taking a shot he shouldn't have? Or was it a sign of a larger issue? It's hard to say, but considering the maneuver got the entire NFL world talking, something is going to come out of it one way or another.
