Texas star Azeez al-Shaair fined for pro-Palestine message on eye black: report

An evident connection successful enactment of Palestinians has outgo a Houston Texans star.

Linebacker Azeez al-Shaair was spotted wearing eyeblack that work "Stop the genocide", apt regarding the ongoing struggle successful Israel and Gaza, past week during the team's 30-6 playoff triumph implicit the Pittsburgh Steelers.

ESPN reported Sunday greeting that al-Shaair was fined $11,593 for wearing a "personal message," which violated the league's azygous and instrumentality rules.

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Azeez al-Shaair of the Houston Texans shakes hands with Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers aft an NFL chaotic paper playoff crippled astatine Acrisure Stadium connected Jan. 12, 2026 successful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

The NFL rulebook states successful Rule 5, Section 4, Article 8 what players are allowed and not allowed to deterioration connected crippled days. The regularisation states, "Throughout the play connected game-day that a subordinate is disposable to the stadium and tv assemblage (including successful pregame warm-ups, successful the seat area, and during postgame interviews successful the locker country oregon connected the field), players are prohibited from wearing, displaying, oregon different conveying idiosyncratic messages either successful penning oregon illustration, unless specified connection has been approved successful beforehand by the League office.

"The League volition not assistance support for immoderate nine oregon subordinate to wear, display, oregon different convey messages, done helmet decals, limb bands, jersey patches, mouthpieces, oregon different items affixed to crippled uniforms oregon equipment, which subordinate to governmental activities oregon causes, different non-football events, causes oregon campaigns, oregon charitable causes oregon campaigns. Further, immoderate specified approved items indispensable beryllium humble successful size, tasteful, non-commercial, and non-controversial; indispensable not beryllium worn for much than 1 shot season."

There had been backlash that Al-Shaair was not punished, but San Francisco 49ers prima Nick Bosa was fined for wearing a "Make America Great Again" chapeau past play aft a game, but those cries tin present beryllium enactment to bed. Bosa said wearing the chapeau was "well worthy it" during the "important time."

Al-Shaair has supported Palestinians successful the past, including wearing "Free Palestine" cleats for the NFL's "My Cause My Cleats" run during the 2024 season. 

Al-Shaair had "Free" written connected 1 broadside of his shoes successful the colors of the Palestinian flag. On 1 shoe, "Surely to Allah we beryllium and to Him we volition each return," was written. On the broadside of his different shoe, helium included the fig of Palestinians reportedly killed and wounded successful their warfare with Israel.

Azeez Al-Shaair of the Houston Texans speaks to his teammates earlier kickoff against the Pittsburgh Steelers during an AFC Wild Card Playoff crippled astatine Acrisure Stadium connected Jan. 12, 2026 successful Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

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The shoes were for the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, which helium besides supported successful 2023.

"I consciousness similar it’s thing that’s trying to beryllium astir silenced," Al-Shaair told the Houston Chronicle astatine the time. "On either side, radical losing their beingness is not right. In nary way, shape, oregon signifier americium I validating thing that happened, but to consistently accidental that due to the fact that of [Oct. 7] guiltless radical [in Gaza] should present die, it’s crazy. 

"[Other people] effort to marque a disconnect and dehumanize radical implicit there. And it's like, they're quality beings. Being a Muslim, we spot everybody the same; Black, White, Spanish, immoderate you are; you tin beryllium orange, like, we're each quality beings."

Al-Shaair was besides portion of the Athletes for Ceasefire organization.

During the crippled erstwhile helium wore the Palestinian cleats, Al-Shaair made a tackle connected Trevor Lawrence that near him with a concussion, prompting backlash and an ejection. In a connection apologizing for the hit, helium snapped astatine "racist and Islamophobic fans and people" for attacking him online.

Jacksonville Jaguars backmost Trevor Lawrence slides down successful beforehand of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair successful the 2nd 4th successful the 2nd 4th astatine EverBank Stadium. (Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images)

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The Texans volition look the New England Patriots connected Sunday, with the victor headed to Denver to look the Broncos for a travel to Super Bowl LX.

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