Source: Al-Shaair fined over eye black message
Jan 18, 2026, 10:44 AM ET Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair has been fined $11,593 for wearing eye black that contained the message “stop the genocide” during last week’s wild-card game, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Sunday. Al-Shaair was fined for violating NFL uniform and equipment rules by wearing eye black that contained…
Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair has been fined $11,593 for wearing eye black that contained the message “stop the genocide” during last week’s wild-card game, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Sunday.
Al-Shaair was fined for violating NFL uniform and equipment rules by wearing eye black that contained a personal message.
Source: Texans’ LB Azeez Al-Shaair was fined $11,593 for a violation of the NFL uniform and equipment rules for wearing eye black that contained a personal message during last week’s Wild Card game. pic.twitter.com/Z9r57v9dxC
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 18, 2026
The message was in reference to concerns over Israel's policies in Gaza, where tens of thousands have been killed in Israeli military operations following the deadly Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. Israel has adamantly rejected genocide allegations against it as an antisemitic attack.
Al-Shaair, who is Muslim, has aided Palestinians on the field by wearing cleats to support Palestinian causes through the NFL's "My Cause, My Cleats" program over the past few seasons.
"If my platform can bring even a little hope to families in Palestine, then that is what I want to use it for," he said in a statement earlier this season.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
