Azeez Al-Shaair facts for kids
Al-Shaair in 2023
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| No. 0 – Houston Texans | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Linebacker | ||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||
| Born: | August 4, 1997 Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 228 lb (103 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Hillsborough (Tampa, Florida) |
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| College: | Florida Atlantic (2015–2018) | ||||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2019 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2023 | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
Azeez Al-Shaair (born August 4, 1997) is an American professional football player. He plays as a linebacker for the Houston Texans in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football at Florida Atlantic University. In 2017, he was named First-team All C-USA, which means he was one of the best players in his college conference.
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Early Life and High School Football
Azeez Al-Shaair was born in Tampa, Florida. When he was young, he often traveled between Tampa and Saudi Arabia. His father worked there as an English teacher. After his parents divorced, Azeez stayed in Tampa.
During his high school years, Azeez faced many challenges. His home burned down when he was a sophomore. This meant he became homeless for a time. He traveled two hours by bus from a motel to Hillsborough High School. There, he played football with great dedication.
In his senior year, Azeez was an amazing player. He made 126 tackles and had 6.5 sacks. He also intercepted two passes and forced three fumbles. He even blocked six field goals and one punt. Because of his excellent performance, he was named first-team All-County. He chose to play college football at Florida Atlantic University. He continued to visit other colleges to get help for his family.
College Football Journey
Azeez Al-Shaair was a key player for the Florida Atlantic Owls. He started as a linebacker for all four years he was there. In his first year, he was named to the Conference USA All-Freshman team. He was also recognized as a Freshman All-American. He led his team with 94 tackles and showed great skill.
As a sophomore, he again led the Owls in tackles with 113. He even scored a touchdown after intercepting a pass. He earned an honorable mention for All-Conference USA. In his junior year, Azeez led Conference USA with 147 tackles. He was named first-team all-conference for his outstanding play.
Azeez was expected to have a great senior year. He was even on the watchlist for the Butkus Award, given to the best college linebacker. However, he tore a ligament in his knee during practice in October. This injury sadly ended his final college season after only six games.
Playing in the NFL
San Francisco 49ers
After college, Azeez Al-Shaair was signed by the San Francisco 49ers in 2019. He joined the team as an undrafted free agent. This means he was not chosen in the NFL draft but was still picked up by a team. He played his first NFL game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He mostly played on special teams and made two tackles.
The 49ers made it to Super Bowl LIV that year. However, they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs. Azeez played in 15 games during his first year. He started four of those games and made 18 tackles.
In 2020, Azeez got his first career interception. This happened during a game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He continued to improve his skills on the field.
For the 2021 season, Azeez became a starting linebacker for the 49ers. He started 13 games and was second on the team in tackles with 102. He also had two sacks, five passes defended, an interception, and recovered two fumbles. In 2022, he had a knee injury but returned to play later in the season.
Tennessee Titans
On March 20, 2023, Azeez Al-Shaair signed a one-year contract with the Tennessee Titans. He had a very successful season with the Titans. He started all 17 games and finished fifth in the entire league with 163 tackles. This showed he was one of the top tacklers in the NFL.
Houston Texans
On March 15, 2024, Azeez Al-Shaair signed a three-year contract with the Houston Texans. He continued to be a strong player for his new team. During the season, he received some penalties for certain plays that were not allowed by the rules.
In December 2024, Azeez was involved in a play that led to him being ejected from a game. He was later suspended for a few games. The NFL explained that his actions were not in line with the rules for player safety. Azeez publicly apologized for the play.
Personal Life
Azeez Al-Shaair is a practicing Muslim. He observes Ramadan, which means he fasts during this holy month. He continued to fast even when he was training for football at Florida Atlantic University.
