Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson addressed the media following the team’s loss to the Houston Texans. Naturally, one of the biggest questions was about his response to the brutal shot that quarterback Trevor Lawrence took.
Read more: Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence Exits Game After Brutal Hit to Head
Lawrence went down on Sunday after Texans linebacker Aziz Al-Shaair came in with a late hit, which caused a concussion for the Jaguars signal caller. A massive brawl followed the hit, with multiple players involved. Al-Shaair was ejected, leading to more chaos, as fans threw objects at the Texans defensive player.
Following the game, Pederson addressed the media and had a simple response to the hit. He stated, “It’s a play that has no business in our league.”
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Pederson was also asked about Lawrence’s playing future in 2024, though the Jaguars head coach would not answer that question. He did state that Lawrence would play again in the long term, but did not state if he plans to play the young quarterback in 2024 again.
Lawrence was shown walking out of the tunnel with his wife, which was a good sign. The Jaguars quarterback is now in concussion protocol, and will presumably be out for the rest of 2024.
This is just speculation, as Pederson did not admit to that being the case. Lawrence playing at all might have been a mistake, putting the concussion aside.
Lawrence missed Weeks 10 and 11 after suffering a shoulder injury during Week 9. This is the same AC joint issue that he experienced in 2023 as well. Considering the team was 2-9 heading into the game, Lawrence should have not played another snap the rest of the season.
Though that might sound extreme, the entire offensive is built around Lawrence. He also signed a then-record five-year, $275 million extension before the 2024 season began.
Lawrence gives the Jaguars the best chance at winning, but he shouldn’t have returned from injury so soon.
Read more: Texans Coach DeMeco Ryans Condemns Trevor Lawrence Hit
Following the events of the hit, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans also addressed the hit from Al-Shaair, stating, “It’s unfortunate. It’s not what we’re coaching.”
Brutal hits like this can lead to season-ending and sometimes career-ending situations. Though Lawrence is likely to suit up again in 2025, he is likely going to be out for the rest of 2024 or should be considering the situation.
Al-Shaair was ejected from the game for the hit, and he is likely going to receive a suspension and fine from the NFL as well.
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