Texans LB May Be Disciplined by NFL for Controversial Hit

It looks like Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair is under review from the NFL after a controversial hit in Week 4's game vs. the Tennessee Titans.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Al-Shaair could face a fine or discipline as a result of his hit to the helmet on Titans quarterback Cam Ward, though a fine is seemingly the more likely option.

"The league will be reviewing Houston linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair's hit on Cam Ward on Sunday for a potential fine or discipline," Fowler wrote. "Al-Shaair is a repeat offender, but this feels more like an instance worthy of a fine than a suspension."

The tackle occurred at the end of the first quarter vs. the Titans last weekend, where Al-Shaair was rushing Ward for a late hit to the helmet that wouldn't be called for a flag in-game.

No penalty here. Thanks NFL Officiating pic.twitter.com/dM6XgeDl9w
— the metten burger (@themettenburger) September 28, 2025

However, while the referee's didn't make a note of the hit during the action, the league could opt to take a few dollars out of Al-Shaair's paycheck for the takedown on the Titans' signal caller.

Of course, it's not the first time Al-Shaair has been under fire for a controversial helmet hit in recent memory, dating back to last season when the Texans linebacker would go for a tackle on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence that would wind up as a hard hit to the helmet.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) slides for a down as Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) makes a late hit during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It was that tackle that inevitably sidelined Lawrence for the remainder of the 2024 season with four games left due to a concussion, while Al-Shaair would find some discipline his way in the form of a three-game suspension to follow.

This time it seems like a suspension isn't the expectation for the Texans' captain, but it's a situation worth monitoring before Houston's action for Week 5 gets underway.

During his second season in Houston so far, Al-Shaair has been a focal point of the Texans' defense as their leading linebacker in the front seven, combining for 28 tackles, two passes defended, and one forced fumble through the four games he's appeared in.

Signs point to Al-Shaair being available on the road vs. the Baltimore Ravens, but another one of those helmet-to-helmet hits down the line this season could put him in danger of another multi-game suspension.

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