Just ahead of the Week 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair got into trouble with the NFL.
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“#Texans Pro Bowl middle linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair fined $11,492 for unauthorized message on eye black Sunday vs. #Bills,” KPCR2’s Aaron Wilson revealed on X.
During the Week 1 game against the Buffalo Bills, Al-Shaair wrote ‘Hind Rajab’ on his eye black. Rajab was a five-year-old Palestinian girl who died in the Israel-Gaza conflict two years ago. Audio recordings of her messages to the emergency services had sparked international outrage.
Al-Shaair was fined $11,593 last year for writing “stop the genocide” on his eye black.
Players have to get approval from the league before displaying personal messages. But according to Rule 5, Section 4, Article 8 of the league rulebook, the NFL will not permit messages related to “political activities or causes, other non-football events, causes or campaigns, or charitable causes or campaigns.”
Wilson reported that Shaair was going to wear the “stop the genocide” message in the New England Patriots’ playoff game last season, too. But he compromised when the officials told him that he wouldn’t get to play if he did so. He wore it during the pregame drills, and took it off before the kickoff.
“At the end of the day, it’s bigger than me,” Al-Shaair said following the loss against New England. “The things that are going on make people uncomfortable, imagine how those people feel. I think that’s the biggest thing. I have no affiliation, no connection to these people other than the fact that I’m a human being.”
Al-Shaair was the franchise winner for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award last season. The award is given to a player who shows excellence on the field and is dedicated to philanthropy and community service off the field. He is an eight-season veteran and has posted three seasons with more than 100 tackles.
Azeez Al-Shaair had been vocal about his support for Palestine. He chose to honor the Palestine Children Relief Fund last season for the NFL’s ‘My Cause, My Cleats program.’
Al-Shaair isn’t the only Texan facing a massive fine ahead of the Week 2 game. Running back David Montgomery, offensive tackle Trent Brown, and defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr. also received fines for breaking the rules. Montgomery featured an unauthorized logo on his cleats. And the league slammed him with a $11,491 fine for that. Edwards Jr. got an $8,923 fine for roughing up the Bills’ quarterback, Josh Allen. Meanwhile, Brown received a $5,971 fine for wearing socks that didn’t cover his lower leg.
With financial penalties mounting across the roster, Houston must swiftly clean up off-field distractions before facing Cincinnati in Week 2.