NFL FINES TEXANS' AL-SHAAIR OVER EYE BLACK MESSAGE, IRVING OFFERS TO PAY

The NFL has fined Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair $11,492 for displaying an unapproved message on his eye black during the team's 36-31 season-opening loss to the Buffalo Bills, according to reports citing NFL insider Aaron Wilson. Al-Shaair played all 56 defensive snaps and recorded eight tackles in the game. The message read "Hind Rajab", the name of a five-year-old Palestinian girl who died alongside six family members when their car came under fire from Israeli forces in January 2024, according to the reports. Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving responded on social media, writing "I'll take care of his fine", offering to cover the penalty himself. The reports describe Al-Shaair as having used his platform previously to draw attention to humanitarian issues.

Hind Rajab's death drew international attention at the time, according to the reports. The Israeli military said in August 2026 that its soldiers had fired on the vehicle and announced an internal criminal investigation into the incident, the reports state. This is not the first time Al-Shaair has been fined over eye black messaging. In January, during Houston's playoff win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the NFL fined him $11,593 for writing "Stop The Genocide" on his eye black, according to the reports.

When Al-Shaair indicated he planned to wear the same message again for a game against the New England Patriots, the NFL warned him he would not be permitted to play if he did so, the reports say. He wore the eye black during pregame warm-ups but removed it before kick-off, according to the reports. Al-Shaair has said the issue is "bigger than me", adding that he has "no affiliation, no connection to these people other than the fact that I'm a human being". The NFL has not issued a further public statement on the latest fine, according to the available reports.