Texans' Azeez Al-Shaair Repeats 'Stop the Genocide' Message on Eye Black

Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair wore “stop the genocide” eye black for the second straight playoff game during Sunday’s divisional matchup against the New England Patriots. The message echoed the one that led to a fine from the NFL, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Al-Shaair was reportedly fined $11,593 for wearing the same message in last Monday’s wild-card victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He displayed the message in a postgame interview on “SportsCenter,” which violates section 4, article 8 of the NFL rulebook. The policy prohibits players from showing personal messages on game day. It is unclear whether Al-Shaair wore the message during the game or only had it on pre-game. He was seen on TV wearing eye black with no message on it later in the game. The message referenced the ongoing conflict in Gaza, a cause Al-Shaair has repeatedly highlighted through the NFL’s “My Cause My Cleats” program. The linebacker, who is a practicing Muslim, has consistently spoken out about the human toll of the fighting and regularly shares updates and commentary on social media. On Sunday, he posted two stories on his Instagram related to the conflict. “I feel like it’s something that’s trying to be almost silenced,” Al-Shaair told the Houston Chronicle during the 2024 season. “On either side, people losing their lives is not right. In no way, shape or form am I validating anything that happened, but to consistently say that because of (the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas), innocent people (in Gaza) should now die, it’s crazy.” CAIR-Houston, the largest Muslim civil rights group in the U.S., praised Al-Shaair’s actions last week and also released a statement Sunday. “We again applaud Houston Texans player Azeez Al-Shaair for using his platform to call for an end to genocide anywhere and everywhere, and we strongly object to the NFL’s reported decision to fine him for doing so amid pressure from pro-Israel extremists,” said Imran Ghani, CAIR-Houston’s Director of Operations. “Azeez Al-Shaair’s message was rooted in basic human decency and concern for innocent lives. That should not be controversial, much less subject to a fine.” Ghani also criticized the prospect of a fine in light of some coaches wearing pins from Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s “Stand Up to Jewish Hate” campaign. “(The NFL) should have no problem with an NFL player opposing genocide, whether the genocide in Gaza or Sudan or elsewhere,” Ghani said. “It should approve the use of the slogan ‘Stop the Genocide’ going forward.”