Overview
- The NFL issued a $11,593 fine to Azeez Al-Shaair for violating the uniform and equipment rule that bars unapproved personal messages visible to stadium or TV audiences.
- Al-Shaair wore eye black reading “Stop the genocide” during the Texans’ Wild Card win over the Steelers and in a postgame SportsCenter appearance.
- He displayed the same message before the Divisional Round in New England, was warned he could be removed if he wore it during play, then removed the eye black before kickoff.
- After the loss to the Patriots, Al-Shaair said he knew a fine would follow and described his display as a moral stance, as the league considers whether to penalize the pregame incident.
- The fine matches the NFL’s standard first-offense amount for such violations, which are donated to league-affiliated foundations, and coverage notes prior enforcement such as Nick Bosa’s MAGA hat fine in 2024.