NFL Fines Texans' Azeez Al-Shaair Again for Pro-Palestinian Message
Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair fined $11,492 for wearing the name of a Palestinian girl on his eyeblack, marking his second such penalty.
Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair has been fined $11,492 by the NFL for violating the league's policy on personal messages. The fine stems from Al-Shaair writing the name of Hind Rajab, a Palestinian girl, on his eyeblack during Sunday's regular-season opener against the Buffalo Bills.
Al-Shaair, who is Muslim, displayed the name in tribute to Rajab during the game, which the Texans lost 36-31. He continued to wear the eyeblack even after reporters entered the locker room for interviews.
The NFL sent Al-Shaair a letter stating he was in violation of Rule 6, Section 4, Article 8 of the league's rulebook. This rule prohibits players from wearing or displaying unapproved personal messages, either in writing or illustration, from the time they are visible to the public until after postgame interviews.
The league did not approve Al-Shaair's tribute to Rajab. The message is considered controversial due to the charged nature of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Muslims view Rajab as a martyr, believing she was killed by the Israeli Defense Forces in Gaza City in January 2024. Al-Shaair and others view her death as evidence of a genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
The IDF has stated that Rajab's death was a mistake made in the