Texans GM Nick Caserio rips NFL for inconsistent punishment of LB Azeez Al-Shaair and he brought the receipts
Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio made his feelings about the NFL's decision to suspend LB Azeez Al-Shaair very clear on Tuesday. The league released a statement earlier that same day saying that Al-Shaair was suspended for three-games due to his helmet-to-helmet hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. In a letter to Al-Shaair, NFL Vice President of Football […]
Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio made his feelings about the NFL's decision to suspend LB Azeez Al-Shaair very clear on Tuesday.
The league released a statement earlier that same day saying that Al-Shaair was suspended for three-games due to his helmet-to-helmet hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
In a letter to Al-Shaair, NFL Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan didn't hold back.
"Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL," Runyan wrote. "Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated.”'
However, Caserio wasn't having any of this. He called the NFL's characterization of the linebacker is "bulls***."
"I think one of the biggest issues that we sort of take umbrage with, I would say as a team and organizationally, is the picture that's been painted of Azeez," Caserio said. "Quite frankly, it's unfair."
He specifically brought up two examples to show the NFL's lack of consistency regarding this issue. The first was Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch, who was both penalized and ejected from the game for a hit to the head on Green Bay Packers receiver Bo Melton. The following week, Branch was back out on the field.
And then there's Las Angeles safety Derwin James who was suspended for one game after lowering his helmet while making a tackle on Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth. The NFL also cited that the suspension was due to "repeated violations," same as Al-Shaair.
"So we're going to say Azeez Al-Shaair, who nobody embodies our program more than Azeez, what he's about, what he's been through. You all know his story. There's not a more selfless individual, more about the team, who's earned the respect that represents everything we want this program to be about," Caserio explained. "We're talking about some of the commentary that's been made about his character, about the person that he is, about what his intentions are, from people who quite frankly don't know anything about Azeez Al-Shaair.
"For the league to make some of the commentary that they made about lack of sportsmanship, lack of coach-ability, lack of paying attention to the rules. Quite frankly, it's embarrassing."
Caserio went on to state that Al-Shaair has never been ejected or suspended during his time in the NFL. But per Sportrac, he has a total of $47,933 in fines.
It is also important to note that Caserio began his press conference sending well wishes to Lawrence. And Al-Shaair has also issued a public apology for the hit.
NFL drops the hammer on Texans veteran after controversial play that hurt star NFL player
The NFL made a decision.
