Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair is making headlines this season, but it’s not because of his production on the field.
Al-Shaair, who earned Pro Bowl honors last season, went viral in Week 1 for putting the name of a Palestinian girl killed in Gaza on his eyeblack. Fast forward to Week 2, and he was spotted on the field with the name Wafaa Akila written on his eyeblack.
Reuters reported that Wafaa Akila was an 8-year-old Palestinian girl. She was killed by an Israeli airstrike earlier this month.
Once Al-Shaair’s eyeblack was spotted by an NFL official, he was reportedly told to get rid of it or risk being removed from the field. According to The Athletic, the league warned Al-Shaair that his eyeblack violates Rule 5, Section 4 of the rulebook.
“For any other violation of this Section 4 (e.g., wristbands and mouthpieces that are not League-approved, towel with a personal message, impermissible headwear under the helmet) that is discovered while the player is in the game, player will be advised to make appropriate correction at the next change of possession; if the violation is not corrected, player will not be permitted to enter the game,” the rule states.
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The NFL has already disciplined Al-Shaair this season.
Al-Shaair received an $11,941 fine for his Week 1 eyeblack. When asked about the league’s decision, he made it clear that he wasn’t going to back down.
“What’s a life worth?” Al-Shaair told reporters. “Is a life worth $11,000? I think it’s priceless. So, to sit there and say that, ‘Oh man, the money’ and whatever, that wasn’t relevant to me.”
We’ll see if Al-Shaair risks another fine this Sunday when the Texans face the Colts.
