.png) Al-Shaair with theTennessee Titans in 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 0 – Houston Texans | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Linebacker | ||||||||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (1997-08-04)August 4, 1997 (age 28) Tampa, Florida, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 228 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Hillsborough (Tampa) | ||||||||||||||
| College | Florida Atlantic (2015–2018) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2019: undrafted | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 7, 2025 | |||||||||||||||
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Azeez Al-Shaair (/ælˈʃaɪər/al-SHIRE,Arabic: عزيز الشاعر, born August 4, 1997) is an American professionalfootballlinebacker for theHouston Texans of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theFlorida Atlantic Owls, where he received the First-team All C-USA award in2017.
Al-Shaair was born inTampa, Florida. As a young child, he moved back and forth between Tampa andSaudi Arabia, where his father worked as an English instructor, until his parents divorced. He lived inSection 8 and became homeless as a sophomore in high school after his home burned down. He commuted two hours by bus from a motel toHillsborough High School, where he playedfootball.[1] As a senior, he made 126 tackles with 6.5 sacks, two interceptions, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries and also blocked six field goals and a blocked punt and was named first-team All-County.[2] Al-Shaair committed to playcollege football atFlorida Atlantic University going into his senior year, but continued to go on recruiting visits in order to help feed his family.[3]
Al-Shaair was a four-year starter at linebacker for theFlorida Atlantic Owls. As a freshman, Al-Shaair was named to theConference USA All-Freshman team and named a Freshman All-American after recording a team-leading 94 tackles (7.5 for loss), 1.5 sacks, two passes broken up and a forced fumble.[4] He again led the Owls in tackles as a sophomore with 113 (12 for loss) and returned an interception for a touchdown and was named honorable mention All-Conference USA.[5] As a junior, Al-Shaair led Conference USA with 147 tackles (11 for loss) along with 2.5 sacks, four passes defensed and a forced fumble and was named first-team all conference. He entered his senior year on theButkus Award watchlist but tore his ACL in an October practice, ending his final season after six games.[6][7]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Bench press | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft0+5⁄8 in (1.84 m) | 234 lb (106 kg) | 32+3⁄8 in (0.82 m) | 9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) | 16 reps | ||||||||
| All values fromNFL Combine[8][9] | ||||||||||||
Al-Shaair was signed by theSan Francisco 49ers as anundrafted free agent on April 27, 2019.[10] Al-Shaair made his NFL debut in the season-opener against theTampa Bay Buccaneers, playing exclusively on special teams and making two tackles in the 31-17 road victory.[11] The 49ers reachedSuper Bowl LIV, but lost to theKansas City Chiefs by a score of 31–20.[12] He did not appear in any postseason games. Al-Shaair played in 15 games with four starts as a rookie, making 18 tackles.[13]
In Week 4 against thePhiladelphia Eagles onSunday Night Football in 2020, Al-Shaair recorded his first career interception off a pass thrown byCarson Wentz during the 25–20 loss.[14]
Al-Shaair entered the 2021 season as a starting linebacker for the 49ers. He started 13 games, finishing second on the team with 102 tackles, along with two sacks, five passes defensed, an interception, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.[15]
On March 15, 2022, the 49ers placed a second-round restricted free agent tender on Al-Shaair.[16] He was placed on injured reserve with anMCL sprain on October 3, 2022.[17] He was activated on November 12.[18]
On March 20, 2023, Al-Shaair signed a one-year contract with theTennessee Titans.[19] He started all 17 games and finished fifth in the league with 163 tackles.[20][21]
On March 15, 2024, Al-Shaair signed a three-year, $34 million contract with theHouston Texans.[22] Following Week 3, he was fined $11,000 for punchingChicago Bears running back,Roschon Johnson, despite Al-Shaair not being ejected from the game.[23] He was issued a second fine for $11,255 after a late hit out of bounds onTennessee Titans running back,Tony Pollard.[24]
On December 1, 2024, Al-Shaair delivered an illegal hit toJacksonville Jaguars quarterback,Trevor Lawrence, after the latter had slid.[25] Lawrence was ruled out for the rest of the game with a concussion and Al-Shaair was ejected. A fight erupted between Al-Shaair and several Jaguar players, with Jacksonville cornerback,Jarrian Jones, also getting ejected.[26][27] Al-Shaair publicly apologized via social media for the hit the next day.[24] Two days after the game, Al-Shaair was suspended for three games withJon Runyan, the NFL's Vice President of the Policy and Rules, writing in the suspension letter that Al-Shaair's "continued disregard for NFL playing rules puts the health and safety of both [him] and [his] opponents in jeopardy and will not be tolerated."[28]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Fumbles | Interceptions | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | FF | FR | Yds | TD | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | PD | ||
| 2019 | SF | 15 | 4 | 18 | 11 | 7 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | SF | 16 | 5 | 35 | 22 | 18 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2021 | SF | 13 | 13 | 102 | 58 | 44 | 2.0 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 24.0 | 24 | 0 | 5 |
| 2022 | SF | 12 | 9 | 44 | 20 | 24 | 0.0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | TEN | 17 | 17 | 163 | 84 | 79 | 2.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2024 | HOU | 11 | 11 | 70 | 45 | 25 | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Career | 73 | 48 | 362 | 195 | 167 | 6.0 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 24 | 24.0 | 24 | 0 | 11 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Tackles | Fumbles | Interceptions | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Cmb | Solo | Ast | Sck | FF | FR | Yds | TD | Int | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | PD | ||
| 2021 | SF | 3 | 1 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | SF | 3 | 3 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 6 | 4 | 25 | 13 | 12 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Al-Shaair is a practicing Muslim and fasts duringRamadan, including when he was participating in FAU's summer practices.[29]
