Texans linebacker wears Palestinian girl's name after NFL fine

Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair wore the name "Wafaa Akila" across his eye black during a Sunday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, days after the NFL fined him for displaying the name of another Palestinian child, Hind Rajab, on his equipment. The tribute marked Al-Shaair's first game appearance since the league penalized him for wearing Rajab's name during a Week 1 matchup against the Buffalo Bills on September 13. Reports differ on the fine amount, with three accounts citing 11,941 and one reporting 11,492. Akila was eight years old when she and her father were killed on September 6, 2026, according to the accounts, which cite Gaza health authorities. The reports state that an Israeli drone struck their car in western Gaza City as they traveled home after she had finished her first day of school. No Israeli military response to the account was included in the reporting. Al-Shaair, 29, has remained publicly defiant over the penalties. Asked about the fine last week, he told reporters, "It's bigger to me what's a life worth? Is a life worth 11,000? No, I think it's priceless.