Written by Amaan Akhtar
The morning of December 1 was unforgettable for the pro football community, the Houston Muslim community, and all Houston Texans fans. With 4:20 remaining in the second quarter of a road matchup against Jacksonville, Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence attempted to run for a first down. Azeez Al-Shaair, the Houston Texans’ star linebacker, chased after him, trying to prevent Lawrence from getting to the first-down marker. Lawrence abruptly slid to the ground, causing Azeez’s momentum to drive into the quarterback’s head. Suddenly, a brawl broke out between the teams.
In situations like this, the media often craves drama. In the aftermath of the incident, unfortunately, they painted Azeez as a villain, using his Muslim identity against him. Despite the efforts of legends like Tom Brady to defend Azeez and clarify the play, many still viewed him in a negative light.
Fast forward a few months, and through this news publication, Houston Crescent, I had the opportunity to interview Azeez, as I had learned he enjoyed a previous article I wrote about his NFL journey, and, of course, because I’m an aspiring young Muslim reporter. After a long process of contacting him and scheduling an interview, my dreams and duas came true. Azeez invited me over to his home for an exclusive interview. So I got in the car and drove to his house, my heart racing, and soon enough, I was sitting next to him with my questions. Feeling nervous and grateful, I started the interview.
Amaan: Assalam Walaykum, thanks for the opportunity! Let’s start with faith. As a recognized Muslim pro athlete, what advice would you give to rising Muslim athletes on achieving their athletic dreams while maintaining a close relationship with Allah (SWT)?
Azeez: Walaikum Assalam. Great to be with you as we had talked about doing this for some time, and it’s good to finally sit down with you. The advice I would give to young athletes who are trying to make it professionally in sports and still hold on to their deen is to never forget what’s a priority and what’s important. I think with Allah, anything is possible. So I think for me, my entire life was these mountains that I had to climb. And the only reason why I truly believe I was able to overcome them was because it wasn’t just me. It wasn’t me climbing. Allah was there for me and guiding me through the entire way. And I still lean on that. I still lean on that kid. Because, at that point, I had no success in anything. I was still dealing with homelessness and poverty. So to just have that trust (in) Allah, I know that it can get better for me, but that was before I ever saw the results. And by the grace of Allah, I’m here. I’m grateful for that. Yeah, that’s a great question.
Amaan: Being such a busy guy, especially on game day, how do you make time for salah?
Azeez: So, for me, game day is the easiest one. The hardest one is during the week, throughout practice and meetings. So on game day, let’s say (if) we have a noon game, Dzuhr is usually around one-ish o’clock, somewhere in that range. I’ll always get to the facility, I’ll pray, I’ll just pray 2 rakah before the game, play all the way up until halftime. At halftime, that’s when I will make Dzuhr. And then, at the end of the game, by the time the game is over, it’s time for Asr. So then I pray Asr and then go home and kind of do whatever. Then if we have like a prime time game, that’s at like, let’s say five o’clock or four o’clock or something like that, then it’s kind of a little bit easier almost because I’m doing the same thing. I’ll be able to pray Asr right before the game. And then all the way through halftime, at halftime, I’ll pray Maghrib because it usually falls around eight o’clock or whatever time Maghrib is. And then when the game’s over, by the time the game’s completely done, it’s Isha and I’ll just pray before I leave the locker room.
So yeah, I’m able to schedule it out and make time for it. It’s not easy, but trying to keep the main thing, the main thing and not forget, even through the sports and the accolades and everything that I’ve been able to accomplish – money, all these things, it’s like at the end of the day when we all pass away, that’s not going to be the thing that is gonna get me into paradise. It’s gonna be what I did. My acts of worship. The way that I gave back. And those are things I try to focus on. And it’s hard, no question, but those are the things I try to keep at the forefront of my mind, for sure.
Amaan: Now, thankfully, the NFL season doesn’t currently overlap with Ramadan. But speaking of Ramadan, how do you handle fasting while maintaining training?
Azeez: So yeah, the NFL season doesn’t run like overlap with Ramadan, but training camp did. So that was my rookie year in the league and we’re in training camp and I’m like dying, but I’m still, participating, obviously still fasting, because, again, it’s bigger than me. And there are people who – and I was one of those people at one point – who genuinely cannot have food, not because they want to fast, but because they don’t have anything. So it was just realizing what my purpose is and what I’m doing these things for. It’s not just, “Oh, I’m just not eating because I can’t” – it’s actually understanding your faith. And that’s something I challenge everybody to do. Just be more understanding of why you’re doing the things that you’re doing. Especially as a young adult and a young person as a kid, you are blessed to have your parents be Muslim, and they raised you that way. They taught you what you know, but it’s one of those things where it’s like, you know, at one point, you’re gonna have to really ask yourself: “What do I believe in? What is the meaning of what I’m doing? Do I feel this in my heart? And if I don’t, why? What is the meaning behind all of this? And as a kid right now, you’re young, trying to grow, learn, and live your life. But as you get older, those are the questions that you start to ask yourself.
Amaan: I really appreciate that advice! Staying on the topic of Ramadan, what would your favorite iftaar be?
Azeez: If I had an ideal meal for Iftar, I would say a whole bunch of fruits. I would probably say salmon with sweet potatoes and broccoli. And just because, you know, I’ve been fasting all day… I’ll just say: an Oreo milkshake. I love Oreo milkshakes. That’s good.
Amaan: So, any special duas before a game?
Azeez: I always just make some of the craziest duas. Like, I’m literally sitting there, just going through a whole laundry list of different things. And I call and talk to my mom before every game. So we’re sitting there making duas together, and she’s praying for me and just trying to speak life into me and encourage me.
Amaan: Was there a point in your life where you were like, OK, yeah, this is it. When you fully embraced Islam? Outside of being born into Islam, but being like, “wow, this is my faith” – where you were dedicated to it?
Azeez: I would say yes and no. I’d say yes because I think of different situations I’ve been in throughout my life that have kind of tested my faith. One thing I think about was when, during my senior year of college, I’m being told about how great of a player I was. And I’m one of the top players in the country at my position. I’m just kind of smooth-sailing my way into the NFL Draft. And then boom! I tear my ACL!
Everything hit the fan. My dreams are crushed. Like I said, when you try to do things through your own will and think you are the one, that’s where you won’t be able to find a way out. And that’s where I was at that point. That moment was truly humbling. It was something I needed because it just really checked me on my faith. And it really tested me. And I remember going through the rehab and all the countless nights of just crying and making dua and just trying to keep focused and really connecting with my faith. And a year later, long story short, I was playing in the Super Bowl, literally 30 minutes from the apartment where I had been crying my eyes out because I had torn my ACL. It was a moment where I was like “wow, Alhamdulillah, Allah is real.” You just have to continue to have faith and keep trusting Him. And I think that was one of those moments for sure.
Amaan: So, continuing on the topic of faith, some of the strongest people, some of the strongest Muslims, are in Palestine. And I know that you have the Palestine cleats. How are you motivated to make a change after seeing the events in Palestine?
Azeez: Yeah, like you said, some of the strongest Muslims on the face of the earth right now are over in Palestine, and I think I draw a lot of strength from that and from them. I think about last year and some of the things I was going through personally like I really would sit there and think about the men, the women, the children that are over there, dealing with literal like life or death every single day, and that’s what motivated me to get up off of my butt and keep pushing forward. We all have those bad days, we all have those bad moments, and we’re trying to feel sorry for ourselves and it just seems like nothing can kind of get you out of the funk. But I drew so much strength from them, and just knowing what they’re going through just made me keep fighting.
When we talk about what’s going on over there, I think (with) a lot of people, it’s one of two things: either you don’t care to know (what’s going on in Palestine) because it doesn’t affect you. It feels like people don’t see it as a real thing, and that’s probably because of all the years of nonsense. Movies and propaganda-type of stuff that’s been kind of brainwashing people’s heads. Even for me, if it wasn’t for me being in the Muslim community, I don’t think I would be truly as informed as I am.
Amaan: Your Instagram story – even right now – you have stuff about Palestine, just informing. And you’ve established yourself as an icon within the NFL community for Islam and Palestine.
I know we were talking about Hollywood earlier. Me and my dad were talking about this earlier – your life could literally be a movie. It sounds like a movie. So, if there were a movie about you, who would act as you?
Azeez: I don’t even know. That’s a good question. My favorite actor, and it’s so funny because I don’t think he’s necessarily the best actor, but I just love him. I just love his comedy and stuff. I would say Kevin Hart. It wouldn’t match! It wouldn’t work! I’m a lot taller than he is. But if there was anybody, I think, personality-wise, I’m like that. I like to be all funny and kind of goofy. But yeah, it would be cool to see a movie about myself.
That concluded the questions for our interview. I shook his hand and listened intently as Azeez offered me some great life advice on staying humble while pursuing my dreams. As I walked out of his high-rise, feeling proud, inspired, and grateful, I reflected back on the evening.
I had just sat down with one of the NFL’s top linebackers — not just a force on the field, but a role model off of it. Azeez Al-Shaair is more than just a star athlete. He’s a living example of perseverance, humility, and faith in action. What struck me most was not only his honesty but also the calm strength in his words, even when discussing the most difficult moments of his life. It reminded me that being Muslim — especially in the public eye — isn’t just about identity. It’s about walking a path of discipline, trust, and resilience, no matter who’s watching. He didn’t dodge any of my questions, even the ones that touched on injustice, faith, and pain. And he didn’t just give answers — he gave reminders. Through hard work and unwavering belief in Allah (SWT), Azeez has not only overcome life’s mountains but now stands on top of them.
If there’s one thing I took away from that hour with him, it’s this: your dreams may be big, your journey may be tough, but if Allah is with you, nothing is impossible.