NFL Fines Texans' Al-Shaair $11,593 for Eye Black Message

Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was fined $11,593 by the NFL for displaying the message "Stop the genocide" on his eye black strips during the team's wildcard playoff victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on January 12.

The fine, announced by the league, stemmed from Al-Shaair's violation of uniform and equipment rules that prohibit players from conveying personal messages without prior approval from the NFL office. The rule applies throughout game day when players are visible to stadium or television audiences, including pregame warmups, bench areas, and postgame interviews. Such messages must relate only to team or league events and cannot address political activities, nonfootball causes, or campaigns. Al-Shaair wore the eye black during the 30-6 win, as well as in a postgame interview, but removed it before the Texans' divisional round game against the New England Patriots on Sunday at Gillette Stadium.

The message referred to Israel's military operations in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas militants on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and took more than 240 hostages. Palestinian health authorities report tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza...