Now that Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair’s three-game suspension is over, he broke the silence.

Al-Shaair took to social media to voice his vantage point on the hit he delivered to Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, which subsequently landed the signal caller on IR and ended his season.

In the post on X, Al-Shaair shared that he met with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, the league’s executive vice president of football operations, Troy Vincent, and vice president of football operations Jon Runyan to rectify the incident — and punishment — that sparked controversy around the league.

“Without going into detail, the meeting we had was productive and gave me hope for moving forward and playing the game that I love with continued best intentions, while also not having my character and integrity unjustifiably smeared,” Al-Shaair said.

Al-Shaair’s comments refer to a statement made by the NFL in relation to the hit that happened on Dec. 1.

Lawrence attempted a run and slid to avoid an incoming hit. However, Al-Shaair arrived late and low, ultimately striking the Jaguars quarterback in the head.

The impact left Lawrence visibly injured on the field, displaying the “fencing posture,” an involuntary hand movement often associated with a significant blow to the head. Immediately after the hit, a massive brawl ignited between players from both the Jaguars and Texans.

Al-Shaair was subsequently ejected from the game.

The hit was undoubtedly illegal, but the decision to suspend Al-Shaair for three games raised questions considering that Al-Shaair has never been ejected or suspended previously.

Al-Shaair appealed the suspension, but the NFL and NFLPA upheld the decision in full, refusing to reduce the three-game penalty in any capacity.

Runyan, who crafted the letter, was unrelenting on Al-Shaair in the wake of the suspension; he questioned the linebacker’s character in a scornful statement.

“Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL. … Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated,” Runyan wrote in the letter from the NFL that garnered Al-Shaair’s resentment.

Al-Shaair expressed more about his discontent with how he felt inaccurately portrayed in this letter.

“I also stated that the letter, and specifically the language used in the letter, was equally as careless and conveyed that the context of the words used were not a reflection of my character, nor my career, as I have not been warned multiple times for my play on the field,” Al-Shaair said in his statement.