Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair finished a Week 2 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals without eyeblack after removing the name Wafaa Akila. An NFL official had seen the writing after the game started and informed Al-Shaair and the Texans that it violated league rules.
The warning came after Al-Shaair was fined $11,492 in Week 1 for displaying Hind Rajab’s name. The source described Rajab as a Palestinian girl who died in a Gaza bombing. Al-Shaair did not challenge that penalty.
The NFL bars players from showing personal messages on game day and has warned others, including Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon and players wearing personalized cleats, that they could be kept out of games if they refused to remove them.
Arizona Cardinals defensive back Kei'Trel Clark was fined the previous week for putting “Glory B 2 God” on his eyeblack. Al-Shaair, who is Muslim, also received an $11,593 fine in January for writing “Stop the Genocide.” Asked about that penalty, he said a human life could not be measured by $11,000 and called life priceless. He signed a three-year, $54 million extension in April.
Fox News reported the incident.
