Who is Azeez Al Shaair? The NFL captain who defies the league to speak out on Palestine and Hind Rajab
Azeez Al Shaair vowed to continue staging protests to highlight Palestinian suffering – and he was as good as his word ahead of the Houston Texans' 20-6 defeat to Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday night. The 29-year-old linebacker had already been fined twice since January for writing pro-Palestine messages on his eye black during games, and now faces a third sanction after displaying the name “Wafaa…
Azeez Al Shaair, a 29-year-old linebacker for the Houston Texans, has become a vocal advocate for Palestinian rights by staging protests on the field. Despite facing fines for writing pro-Palestine messages on his eye black, Al Shaair remains resolute in his activism. In the wake of the death of eight-year-old Wafaa Akila at the hands of an Israeli air strike, Al Shaair added her name to his eye black, sparking yet another fine from the NFL.
The player made his stance clear, stating that a human life is priceless and that compassion should not be overshadowed by financial considerations. Al Shaair's activism has garnered support from fellow athlete Kyrie Irving, who vowed to cover his fine. Both players emphasize their shared commitment to humanity and reject any suggestion that their political statements should hinder their performance on the field.
Al Shaair, who was born in Tampa and spent part of his childhood in Jeddah, has used his platform as a NFL star to draw attention to global injustices and has already solidified his position as the team's captain for the upcoming 2026 season.
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