Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair removed the name Wafaa Akila from his eyeblack after an NFL official warned during the team’s Week 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals that he could be removed if he kept it. The marking was visible when the game started, and Al-Shaair played the rest of the contest without eyeblack.
The warning came one week after Al-Shaair was fined $11,492 for displaying Hind Rajab’s name. The source described Rajab as a Palestinian girl who died in a bombing in Gaza. Al-Shaair did not challenge that penalty.
The NFL bars players from showing personal messages on game day. The league has previously warned Chicago Bears quarterback Jim McMahon and players with customized cleats that they could be kept from playing unless such messages were removed. Arizona Cardinals defensive back Kei’Tre l Clark was fined last week after putting “Glory B 2 God” on his eyeblack.
Al-Shaair, who is Muslim, was also fined $11,593 in January for writing “Stop the Genocide.” Asked about that penalty, he said he questioned whether a life could be worth $11,000 and described life as priceless. He agreed to a three-year, $54 million contract extension in April. Fox News reported the incident.
