It may seem like it's been ages since the National Football League actively celebrated the sort of player that Azeez Al-Shaair has become known to be, but in reality, it's only been a little over a decade or so that the NFL has been shunning and disciplining the players cut from that specific cloth.
Nowadays, Azeez Al-Shaair is viewed as a modern day outlaw, when 20 years ago he would've been a frequent headliner on ESPN's Jacked Up segments. Al-Shaair plays the game with the sort of ruthless, borderline violent physicality that the league has tried to eliminate from its product as much as is possible in a game as physical as football is. Yet Al-Shaair continues to test the boundaries of what he can get away with.
Al-Shaair has already been fined for a hit on Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward, and it was a surprise that he didn't rack up a second fine when he decleated Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold. It would be a surprise if there weren't another play or two this year that preceded what seems like a semi-regular guessing game of Is he going to get fined or suspended for that hit?
Yet in Houston, Azeez Al-Shaair is a beloved teammated. He was voted a team captain before the season began, and in any locker room, his presence would be valued. It's just that at any given time, there are 31 franchises that should be scared to death any time the seven-year veteran has an opponent in his crosshairs.
Azeez Al-Shaair's 2025 Season to Date
What the stats are saying: 42 tackles, 4 passes defended, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 68.9 PFF Grade (30th among 80 qualified linebackers)
What Jon Runyan, the NFL's Vice President of Policy and Rules Administration, said in 2024: "Your lack of sportsmanship and respect for the game of football and all those who play, coach, and enjoy watching it, is troubling and does not reflect the core values of the NFL,” Runyan told Al-Shaair in a letter explaining the league's decision to suspend him for three games. “Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both you and your opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated."
What Azeez Al-Shaair himself has said (in a pre-game huddle): "Everything you got! For the man next to you! For the name on the front, and the f****** name on the back, everything you got! We don't leave this b**** until we get a f****** W. Whatever it takes. Whatever the f*** it takes."
What the tape is saying: Well, the tape from the pre-game huddle above tells me that this is a guy who can get you fired up to play a football game, that's for sure. I haven't worn a helmet and shoulder pads in almost 20 years, and after watching Azeez Al-Shaair lead that pre-game huddle, I feel like I'm ready to go out on the field and play 60 minutes of inspired football for the Houston Texans.
(Or like 60 seconds, because in all likelihood, I'd be seriously injured by my second play in an NFL game)
Al-Shaair finished with the 5th-most tackles in the NFL in the 2023 season, one he spent with the Tennessee Titans, and although he hasn't been as productive in either of his two seasons with the Texans, the Florida Atlantic product remains one of the most intimidating presences in the middle of a defense in the NFL. Even in a moderately softer NFL in 2025, that still has value.
Where Al-Shaair has the most value is as a run defender. Although he's been mediocre in pass coverage throughout his career, season after season, Al-Shaair has remained one of the league's premier run stoppers thanks to a relentless motor, superb vision and tremendous speed. He plays from sideline to sideline and is a technically sound, albeit excessively violent tackler.
Slightly undersized, Al-Shaair came into the league as an undrafted free agent, but he has never looked like he hasn't belonged on an NFL field. His leadership qualities have been raved about by teammates and coaches within the Texans organization, and even if the numbers don't say so, he hasn't lost a step yet.
Past Defensive Spotlights
10/8/2025 - Jalen Pitre
10/15/2025 - Danielle Hunter
10/22/2025 - Will Anderson Jr.