NFL’s Azeez Al-Shaair fined for ‘Stop the genocide’ message

The NFL fined Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for writing “Stop the genocide” across his eye black, an apparent reference to Gaza, ESPN reported Sunday.

He drew the $11,593 fine for a violation of NFL uniform and equipment rules after displaying the message during last Monday’s 30-6 AFC wild-card win at Pittsburgh, per the report.

In spite of the fine, Al-Shaair could be seen wearing the same message in his eye black before Houston’s AFC divisional playoff game at the New England Patriots on Sunday. Later during the game, he was observed with the message removed.

Al-Shaair, 28, has long been a vocal pro-Palestinian advocate. In December 2023, as a member of the Tennessee Titans, Al-Shaair chose to support the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund through the NFL’s “My Cause, My Cleats” program.

“Given the recent events in Israel and Gaza, this nonprofit provides medical aid and essential supplies to children injured and left homeless by the bombings in Gaza,” he said in his entry about the charity.

Al-Shaair has also signaled criticism for Hamas’s October 7, 2023, onslaught on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza, about which he’s become an outspoken advocate on and off the field.

“I feel like it’s something that’s trying to be silenced,” Al-Shaair told the Houston news site Chron in 2024. “On either side, people losing their life is not right. In no way, shape or form am I validating anything that happened, but to consistently say that because of [October 7] innocent people [in Gaza] should now die, it’s crazy.”

Al-Shaair was one of two active NFL players who signed onto the “Athletes for Ceasefire” letter, which called on former US president Joe Biden to call for a ceasefire in February 2024.

While the linebacker has been vocal about his pro-Palestine views, Monday night’s postgame interview with Scott van Pelt — during which he said nothing about Israel or Gaza, but had an eye black message big enough to read during his close-ups — may have been his loudest form of advocacy yet, as it came shortly after a nationally televised playoff game on ESPN. Video of the interview has circulated on social media and drawn praise from pro-Palestinian activists.

According to the NFL rulebook, players are “prohibited from wearing, displaying, or otherwise conveying personal messages either in writing or illustration, unless such message has been approved in advance by the League office.” The rule also states that the league “will not grant permission” to players displaying a message “to political activities or causes, other non-football events, causes or campaigns, or charitable causes or campaigns.”

The most notable case of political activism in the NFL in the last decade came when Colin Kaepernick, protesting police brutality, refused to stand for the national anthem. Kaepernick was not issued a fine or suspension by the NFL, though no teams signed him as a 29-year-old free agent, leading to debate over whether he was blackballed by the league for his stance.