Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson is currently being praised across the NFL for his actions during a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hendrickson helped up Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence, then became upset when Lawrence went back down with what appeared to be a severe injury. Then, Hendrickson removed his helmet, went down to a knee next to Lawrence and said a quick prayer.
As it turns out, Lawrence only suffered a high ankle sprain after being stepped on by his lineman and having his leg rolled up under him. The good news aside, it seems fans woke up the day after the game, saw the clip and had nothing but praise for Hendrickson. NFL analyst Brian Baldinger led the praise, posting to X, formerly known as Twitter: “@Bengals Trey Hendrickson. Showing sportsmanship when @Trevorlawrencee ankle gets rolled up. No one wants to see anyone get hurt in this business. Bravo to Trey for the concern.” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo added, “Looked like Hendrickson also said a quick prayer for Lawrence shortly after this. Classy show of sportsmanship by a terrific player.”
Another fan commented, “Awful for Trevor Lawrence, But just amazing sportsmanship from Trey Hendrickson who helped him back to his feet and then prayed for him. Special man.” However, most fans are upset with the NFL’s reluctance to acknowledge faith or attempts to replace their effect on the league. The league highlighted the moment between Hendrickson and Lawrence, but the NFL didn’t describe what seemed obvious to everyone.
@nfl all class from trey ? #treyhendrickson #trevorlawrence #cincinnatibengals #jacksonvillejaguars #nfl ♬ snowfall – Øneheart & reidenshi
In a post on their X account, the NFL said that Hendrickson was “taking a moment” for Lawrence, but many fans who reacted to Hendrickson’s show of sportsmanship knew that Hendrickson was praying. Many people responding to the post in the mentions took the NFL to task for not calling Hendrickson’s act a prayer. They know Hendrickson didn’t turn to a random moment of silence, as some folks within the league would have you believe. It was, agree with it or not, Hendrickson doing what he believed he could to help Lawrence be well.
Fortunately, Lawrence’s injury isn’t season-ending. An MRI has since revealed a high ankle sprain, head coach Doug Pederson told reporters. While Lawrence’s ankle is stable, Pederson explained, there is no timetable for the QB’s return, making his status unclear for Week 14 against the Browns. However, Lawrence is slated to rehab around the clock this week to give himself a chance to play on Sunday against the Browns in Cleveland, according to The Athletic.
It’s too early to know how his ankle will respond to the rehab and whether or not they’ll be able to give it a go in Week 14, but the Jaguars are not ruling him out just yet. It’s fortunate that Lawrence isn’t severely hurt, given so many quarterbacks this season have had season-ending injuries. Still, Trey Hendrickson is a class act for taking the time out to pray for Lawrence’s condition.