NFL News: Texans’ Azeez Al-Shaair wears a clear Palestinian message in black eye
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During an interview with ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” staff, it was revealed that Azeez Al-Shaair had a message to share.
The Houston Texans linebacker was spotted wearing a black eye that read “Stop the genocide.”
The message may have been about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
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Azeez al-Shaair of the Houston Texans shakes hands with Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers after the NFL wild card playoff game at Acrisure Stadium on Jan. 12, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Al-Shaair has supported the Palestinian people in the past, including wearing “Free Palestine” jerseys for the NFL’s “My Cause My Cleats” campaign during the 2024 season.
Al-Shaair had written “Free” on one side of his shoes in the colors of the Palestinian flag. On one shoe was written, “Indeed we belong to Allah and to Him we shall all return.” On the other side of his other shoe, there were a number of Palestinians who were said to have been killed and injured in their war with Israel.
These shoes belonged to a fund to help children in Palestine, which we also support in 2023.
“I feel like it’s something that’s trying to be almost silenced,” Al-Shaair told the Houston Chronicle at the time. “On all sides, people who lose their lives are not right. There is nothing, situation, or situation that guarantees me anything that happened, but to say so because [Oct. 7] innocent people [in Gaza] he has to die now, it’s crazy.
“[Other people] try to cut off communication and humiliate people there. And it’s like, they’re human. As Muslims, we see everyone the same way; Black, White, Hispanic, whatever you are; you can be orange, like, we’re all human.”
Azeez Al-Shaair of the Houston Texans talks to his teammates before kicking off against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Acrisure Stadium on Jan. 12, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
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Al-Shaair is also part of the Athletes for Ceasefire organization, along with several other athletes.
During the match while wearing Palestinian cleats, Al-Shaair tackled Trevor Lawrence which left him stunned, leading to him being sent off. In a statement apologizing for the song, he blasted “racist and Islamophobic fans and people” for attacking him online.
December 1, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) slides in front of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) in the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. (Photos by Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn)
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Al-Shaair’s Texans scored 23 points in the fourth quarter on Monday to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6 and advance to the AFC division. They will face the Patriots in New England on Sunday at 3 pm ET.
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