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While being interviewed by ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” team, it was revealed that Azeez Al-Shaair had a message he wanted to share.
The Houston Texans linebacker was seen wearing an eye black that read “Stop the Genocide.”
The message was likely referring to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
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Azeez al-Shaair of the Houston Texans shakes hands with Aaron Rodgers of the Pittsburgh Steelers after an NFL Wild Card Playoff game at Acrisure Stadium on January 12, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
Al-Shaair has supported Palestinians in the past, including wearing “Free Palestine” cleats for the NFL’s “My Cause My Cleats” campaign during the 2024 season.
Al-Shaair had “Free” written on the side of his shoes in the colors of the Palestinian flag. On one of the shoes was written: “Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will all return.” On the other side of the shoe he had the number of Palestinians supposedly killed and wounded in their war with Israel.
The shoes were for the Palestinian Children’s Aid Fund, which he also supported in 2023.
“I feel like it’s something they’re trying to almost be silenced,” Al-Shaair told the Houston Chronicle at the time. “On both sides, people losing their lives is not right. In no way am I validating anything that happened, but saying that consistently because of [Oct. 7] innocent people [in Gaza] Now I should die, it’s crazy.
“[Other people] It tries to disconnect and dehumanize the people there. And it’s as if they were human beings. As a Muslim, we see everyone the same; Black, white, Spanish, whatever you are; “You can be orange, as if we were all human beings.”
Azeez Al-Shaair of the Houston Texans talks to his teammates before the start of the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers during an AFC Wild Card Playoff game at Acrisure Stadium on January 12, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
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Al-Shaair was also part of the Athletes for Ceasefire organization, along with several other athletes.
During the game, while wearing the Palestine cleats, Al-Shaair made a tackle on Trevor Lawrence that left him with a concussion, leading to a backlash and ejection. In a statement apologizing for the hit, he harshly criticized “racist and Islamophobic bigots and people” for attacking him online.
December 1, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, United States; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) slides in front of Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) in the second quarter of the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. (Images by Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn)
Al-Shaair’s Texans scored 23 points in the fourth quarter on Monday to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 30-6 and advance to the AFC divisional round. They will face the Patriots in New England on Sunday at 3 pm ET.
