Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair took off an inscription honoring Wafaa Akila during the Texans’ Week 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The marking remained on his eyeblack when the game started, but an NFL official later told Al-Shaair and the team that it had to be removed. He played the rest of the contest without eyeblack.
The warning came after Al-Shaair was fined $11,492 in Week 1 for displaying Hind Rajab’s name. The source identified Rajab as a Palestinian girl who died in a bombing in Gaza. Al-Shaair did not appeal the penalty.
NFL rules bar personal messages on players’ equipment during games. The league has warned Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon and players wearing customized cleats that failure to remove such messages could result in being barred from playing. Arizona Cardinals defensive back Kei’Tre l Clark was fined last week for writing “Glory B 2 God” on his eyeblack.
Al-Shaair, who is Muslim, was also fined $11,593 in January for the words “Stop the Genocide.” He said, “What’s a life worth? ... Is a life worth $11,000? I think it’s priceless.” He signed a three-year, $54 million extension in April.
Fox News was the source of the report.
