NBA star Kyrie Irving offers to pay NFL player's Gaza message fine

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving on the bench during an NBA basketball game, in Boston, U.S., March 6, 2026. (AP Photo)

by Anadolu Agency

Sep 17, 2026 2:35 pm

Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving has offered to pay a fine for Houston Texans linebacker Azeez al-Shaair after he displayed the name of slain Palestinian girl Hind Rajab on his eye black during an NFL game.

"I’ll take care of his fine," Irving said on X Wednesday after al-Shaair was reportedly fined $11,492 for displaying the message during Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills."

NFL rules prohibit players from displaying personal messages that have not been approved by the league.

Houston Texans linebacker Azeez al-Shaair works out during the team's NFL football training camp in Houston, Texas, U.S., Aug. 7, 2026. (AP Photo)

Al-Shaair, a Pro Bowl linebacker, has previously used his eye black to draw attention to the war in the Gaza Strip. He was fined $11,593 in January for displaying "Stop The Genocide" during a playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Rajab, a 5-year-old Palestinian girl, was killed by Israel on Jan. 29, 2024, in Gaza City, along with six family members, when the vehicle they were traveling in came under military fire.