Azeez Al-Shaair fined by NFL for memorializing Palestinian girl

Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair has been fined approximately $11,941 by the NFL for wearing an unauthorized message on his eye black during a game against the Buffalo Bills. The message featured the name of Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed in Gaza in 2024 after her family's vehicle came under fire from Israeli forces.

NFL regulations prohibit players from displaying personal, political, or memorial messages on equipment unless approved in advance by the league. This marks the second time Al-Shaair has faced league discipline for similar messaging; he was fined in January for wearing eye black that read “Stop The Genocide.”

Following the announcement of the fine, Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving expressed his support for Al-Shaair on social media, stating, “I’ll take care of his fine.”