Football is violent. We all know that. But watching the Trevor Lawrence injury video from that Week 13 game against the Houston Texans felt different. It wasn't just a sack or a twisted ankle. It was one of those moments where the stadium goes silent because everyone—fans, coaches, even the opposing players—knew something went sideways immediately.
Honestly, the footage is tough to stomach. You see Lawrence, the face of the Jacksonville Jaguars franchise, scrambling for a first down. He does what coaches tell every quarterback to do: he slides. He gives himself up. But instead of the play ending there, Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair launches. It’s a forearm-to-helmet hit that looks more like a car crash than a football play.
The reaction was instant.
The Hit That Ended the 2024 Season
If you go back and watch the Trevor Lawrence injury video, the first thing you notice isn't even the hit itself. It’s the "fencing response." That’s the medical term for when a person’s arms go rigid and stick out in the air after a traumatic brain injury. It’s nature’s way of saying the brain just took a massive reboot.
Lawrence hit the turf and didn't move for a long time.
Basically, the play sparked a massive brawl. The Jaguars were understandably livid. Seeing your $275 million quarterback leveled on a late hit is going to trigger some protective instincts. While the trainers were tending to Lawrence, teammates like Jarrian Jones were getting into it with the Texans' sideline. Al-Shaair was ejected, and eventually, the NFL suspended him for three games.
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But the damage to Lawrence was already done. He had to be carted off the field. You've probably seen the photos of him sitting on the back of that medical cart, looking completely dazed. It was a bleak image for a team that had already been struggling through a nightmare season.
More Than Just a Concussion
Most people focusing on the Trevor Lawrence injury video from the Texans game forget that Lawrence was already a "walking wounded" situation. He was actually playing through a significant AC joint sprain in his left shoulder.
He’d suffered that shoulder injury a few weeks earlier against the Philadelphia Eagles. If you look at the footage from that Eagles game, you can see him wincing after several hits. He sat out two games in November to try and let it heal, but he was determined to get back out there.
The hit from Al-Shaair basically forced the Jaguars' hand.
On December 4, 2024, the team officially placed him on Injured Reserve. It wasn't just the concussion. They decided that since he was already sidelined by the head injury, it was time to fix the shoulder once and for all. Lawrence underwent surgery on December 17 to repair that AC joint.
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Why the Footage Still Matters for the NFL
The NFL has a massive problem with "non-parallel" enforcement of rules. Quarterbacks are supposed to be protected, especially when they slide. The Trevor Lawrence injury video became Exhibit A for critics who say the league isn't doing enough to punish players who target quarterbacks in vulnerable positions.
Vice President of Football Operations Jon Runyan called the hit "unacceptable." It was a serious violation.
But for Jaguars fans, the video is just a reminder of a lost year. Lawrence finished 2024 with:
- 2,045 passing yards
- 11 touchdowns
- 7 interceptions
- A whole lot of "what ifs"
Recovery and the 2025 Comeback
The good news? The surgery was a success. Lawrence spent the early part of 2025 in a sling, doing boring rehab work and focusing on getting his range of motion back. By the time OTAs rolled around, he was starting to look like his old self again.
He’s been open about it, too. He told reporters in early 2025 that the hit was something he just wanted to move on from. It’s a "it is what it is" situation for him.
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He didn't want to dwell on the "dirty" nature of the hit. He just wanted to get healthy.
Moving Forward From the Injury
If you're looking for the Trevor Lawrence injury video to understand the mechanics of the hit, focus on the slide. The league has since used this specific clip in officiating videos to show defenders exactly what not to do.
For Lawrence, the focus is now on the future. He’s healthy, the shoulder is repaired, and he’s back to leading the Jags. But that 2024 footage will always be a grim chapter in his career—a moment where a single second changed the entire trajectory of a season.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans and Analysts:
- Review Slide Rules: Understand that once a QB begins his slide, he is technically "down." Any contact to the head/neck area is an automatic 15-yard penalty and potential ejection.
- Monitor Offseason Progress: For those in fantasy leagues or following the Jags, check Lawrence's velocity in training camp clips. Shoulder surgery on the non-throwing arm is less "scary" than the throwing arm, but it still affects balance and bracing during hits.
- Watch the Linemen: Keep an eye on the Jaguars' offensive line changes. Part of why Lawrence was in that position to begin with was a high pressure rate (upwards of 45% in some games), which forced him to scramble more often than he should have.
The hit was brutal, but the recovery has been steady. Lawrence is a tough guy, and he’s proven that he can take the hits—even the ones that aren't legal.