Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair removed a Palestinian-themed inscription from his eye black during a Week 2 game after an NFL official told him he would be removed from the contest if he kept wearing it. The message named Wafaa Akila, another Palestinian girl, according to an NFL source cited by Fox News.
Al-Shaair had worn the inscription during pregame warmups against the Cincinnati Bengals, and it remained when the game started. After the league official noticed it, the Texans and Al-Shaair were told that he had to take it off or leave the game. He removed the eye black and played the rest of the contest without it.
The incident followed a Week 1 fine of $11,492. In that game, Al-Shaair had written the name of Hind Rajab on his eye black. The source said the inscription was intended to draw attention to the Palestinian girl's death during a bombing in Gaza by the Israeli Defense Force. Al-Shaair did not appeal the fine.
Speaking to reporters about the penalty, Al-Shaair said, "What’s a life worth?" He added, "Is a life worth $11,000? I think it’s priceless. So, to sit there and say that, ‘Oh man, the money’ and whatever, that wasn’t relevant to me."
The NFL prohibits players from displaying personal messages throughout game day. The source also cited previous instances involving Jim McMahon, Maxx Crosby, Odell Beckham and A.J. Brown, in which players were told to remove personalized messages from headwear or footwear or face removal from a game.
Al-Shaair was fined $11,593 in January after writing "Stop the Genocide" on his eye black, while Arizona Cardinals defensive back Kei'Trel Clark was fined last week for an inscription reading "Glory B 2 God."
