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Michael DiRocco, ESPN Staff Writer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A late hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence by Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair sparked two melees between the teams and resulted in Al-Shaair and Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones being ejected.
Lawrence was down on the field for several minutes before eventually being taken off the field on a cart — he rode in front sitting up — and the Jaguars ruled him out for the rest of the game with a concussion.
Lawrence was not taken to a local hospital.
Al-Shaair hit Lawrence in the head after the quarterback slid at the end of a 6-yard scramble late in the first half. Jaguars tight end Evan Engram shoved Al-Shaair in the back in retaliation and that sparked the first fight between the teams.
The brawl happened just a few yards away from Lawrence, who was down on his back. An official knelt to protect Lawrence as the skirmish moved toward the Jaguars sideline.
Officials announced that Al-Shaair and Jones, who came off the sideline, were ejected and assessed with personal foul penalties. Engram also was assessed a personal foul penalty.
Things got heated again a moment later when Al-Shaair and Jaguars right guard Brandon Scherff exchanged words while Al-Shaair was being escorted off the field. Al-Shaair ripped off his helmet and tried to go after Scherff, but he was restrained by Texans teammates Henry To’oTo’o and Joe Mixon.
This isn’t Al-Shaair’s first time getting into an altercation. In the Texans’ Week 2 win over the Chicago Bears he punched running back Roschon Johnson on the sidelines. This came after he had a questionable hit on quarterback Caleb Williams when Williams was sprinting toward the sidelines.
Al-Shaair was fined $11,817 for the punch.
ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime contributed to this report.