Kyrie Irving has offered to pay the $11,492 fine issued to Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair for displaying the name of a Palestinian girl on his eye black. Irving announced his intention to cover the fine on X after learning that Al-Shaair had been penalized for an unauthorized message.
During the Texans' season-opening loss to the Buffalo Bills, Al-Shaair wrote 'Hind Rajab' beneath his eyes. Rajab was a 5-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed alongside six relatives in Gaza City in January 2024 when their vehicle was struck by Israeli forces.
The NFL prohibits players from displaying personal messages on game-day equipment without prior approval. This rule applies from warmups through postgame interviews and is concerned with whether a message was authorized, not the viewpoint it expresses.
This was Al-Shaair's second fine for using eye black to address the war in Gaza. He was fined $11,593 in January for displaying 'Stop the Genocide' during a wild-card victory over the Steelers. He wore that message again during warmups the following week but removed it after being informed he could be prevented from playing. Al-Shaair has described his advocacy as 'bigger than me' and noted that civilian suffering helps put football frustrations in perspective.
Irving's offer aligns with his public support for Palestinians. The nine-time NBA All-Star, who embraced Islam in 2021, has highlighted Palestinian children on social media and worn shirts honoring journalists killed in Gaza. He has also observed Ramadan while competing in the NBA.