Kyrie Irving offers to pay Azeez Al-Shaair’s NFL fine for honoring Hind Rajab

The NFL fined the Texans linebacker for displaying the Palestinian child’s name on his eye black without prior league approval.

Kyrie Irving has offered to pay the $11,941 fine issued to Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. The gesture came after the linebacker wrote the name of Palestinian child Hind Rajab on his eye black during Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills. ESPN reported the gesture Wednesday as Al-Shaair faced an NFL penalty for displaying a personal message without prior approval.

The NFL fined Al-Shaair under its uniform and equipment rules, which prohibit players from displaying personal messages without league approval. Rather than letting the fine stand solely as a consequence of Al-Shaair’s tribute, Irving offered to cover the cost. The gesture connects two prominent athletes who have publicly used their platforms to draw attention to Palestinian suffering.

Al-Shaair, who is Muslim, has previously used his NFL appearances to support Palestinian causes. Last season, he wore the words “stop the genocide” on his eye black and was fined for that message as well. He has also participated in the NFL’s “My Cause, My Cleats” initiative, using his cleats to highlight causes supporting Palestinians. “If my platform can bring even a little hope to families in Palestine, then that is what I want to use it for,” he said in a statement last season.

Al-Shaair’s latest tribute honored Hind Rajab, a Palestinian girl who was killed in Gaza City in 2024 along with six members of her family after their vehicle came under fire. According to ESPN, the Israeli military acknowledged last month that its forces opened fire on the vehicle and said it had opened a criminal investigation into the deaths. Rajab’s name became widely known after recordings and reports surrounding her final hours drew international attention.

Irving has previously expressed public support for Palestinians, including posting about the needs of Palestinian children and wearing clothing honoring journalists killed in Gaza. His offer to pay Al-Shaair’s fine therefore comes within a broader pattern of public support for Palestinian causes from the NBA star. For Al-Shaair, the gesture also follows a previous disciplinary action for expressing his position on the conflict.