Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair is under a withering online attack from multiple so-called influencers, as the anger that began with his clearly illegal hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has changed to anger about his cleats.
His so-called “Free Palestine” cleats.
Al-Shaair Cleats For Palestinian Children’s Fund
Al-Shaair, born in Tampa, FL. but a resident of Saudi Arabia during part of his childhood, unveiled his Palestine cleats weeks ago as part of the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats Program. The cleats thus were approved by the NFL and Houston Texans and are meant to recognize the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund.
The sixth-year linebacker was wearing those cleats Sunday when he knocked Lawrence into the NFL concussion protocol and out of the game with a hit that was, well, borderline dirty and attracted a lot of eyes.
It was a hit the Texans themselves disavowed and one for which Al-Shaair was ejected and faces an NFL suspension.
And because the cleats include messaging and slogans in black, green and white – the colors of the Palestinian flag – that are clearly pro-Palestine, there has been a tangible backlash about the whole thing.
Cleats Described As ‘Free Palestine’
Al-Shaair’s shoes include the word “Free” on one side and