By Mark Long, The Associated Press

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Trevor Lawrence left EverBank Stadium with his wife by his side and a smile on his face, a positive sign for the oft-injured Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback.

Lawrence was carted off the field after suffering a violent blow to the facemask from Houston linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, which led to a courtside brawl and another scuffle.

“It’s a game that really has no place in our league,” Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said after his team’s 20-23 loss on Sunday.

After missing two games with a sprained left shoulder, Lawrence was back in the starting lineup and fumbled on a second-and-7 play in the second quarter. He initiated a slide before Al-Shair raised his forearm and unleashed it on the defenseless quarterback.

Here is a link to the hit and the ensuing scrum.

Lawrence clenched both fists after the punch – movements consistent with the so-called “fencing response” that can often occur after a traumatic brain injury. He lay on the ground for several minutes as teammates came to his defense and harassed Al-Shair, whose last seemingly cheap shot could result in a suspension.

“It was a stupid move on his part,” Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen said. “It’s a shame to see that. The first thing I thought about was getting him because he’s your brother and he’s the quarterback.”

Tight end Evan Engram added: “I saw him slip and then I saw the hit and then, honestly, (my emotions) just took over. “I just knew it was wrong. It was just a dirty game and you stand up for your boys.”

Finally, Lawrence was helped to his feet and loaded into the front seat of a cart to be transported from the field. He was not transported to a hospital for testing. However, he was quickly ruled out due to a concussion.

“The hit on Azeez is unfortunate,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “That’s not what we train for. If we want to be smart in everything we do and not harm the team, we will get a penalty there. You just have to be smarter when a quarterback goes down.

“Just unfortunate game, not representative of Azeez. He’s a smart player and a really great leader for us.”

Al-Shaair was sent off for “an illegal, unnecessary blow to the quarterback in the neck and head area,” referee Land Clark said in a pool report. Jaguars rookie cornerback Jarrian Jones was also ejected for throwing a punch in close combat.

As Al-Shair left the pitch, fans started shouting at him. Jaguars veteran guard Brandon Scherff interfered, sparking another altercation with Al-Shaair. Texans teammate Will Anderson grabbed Al-Shair and escorted him off the field when a fan threw a water bottle, hitting Anderson in the helmet. The fan was later ejected.

Officials and coaches had the teams under control before play resumed. Al-Shair was not in the locker room when it opened to reporters after the game.

“I just want to pray for Trevor,” Texas quarterback CJ Stroud said. “I really hope and pray that he is okay. Prayers also go out to his family. But yeah, I still rock with Azeez. I don’t think that was his intention and I pray that Trevor is OK and that his family is with him.”

Mac Jones replaced Lawrence and rallied the Jaguars in the fourth quarter. Jones completed 20 of 32 passes for 235 yards and two touchdowns. Pederson declined to speculate on Lawrence’s future status, especially with the Jags now officially eliminated from the AFC South.

Lawrence, the top pick in the 2021 draft, missed a game for the first time in his professional career in 2023 after suffering a sprained right shoulder in Week 16. He also missed significant practice time in Week 6 due to other injuries, such as a sprained left knee, a sprained right ankle in Week 13, and a concussion in Week 15.

“Trevor is a warrior,” Jones said. “We are all praying for him. We are definitely behind him. It was incredible for him to play today. He’s a tough guy. I really wanted to get the win for him. Obviously missed out. But I’m definitely praying for him. I know we’re all behind him no matter what.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl