Titans' LB Azeez Al-Shaair has Hulk-like tendencies on and off the field
Off the football field, Tennessee Titans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair is a mild-mannered guy that always has a smile on his face. He is likable and charismatic, and sometimes a bit reserved. To a stranger on the street, it'd be hard to imagine such an unassuming man as Al-Shaair playing a violent game like football with […]
Off the football field, Tennessee Titans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair is a mild-mannered guy that always has a smile on his face. He is likable and charismatic, and sometimes a bit reserved.
To a stranger on the street, it'd be hard to imagine such an unassuming man as Al-Shaair playing a violent game like football with the intensity that he does. But when the pads come on and Al-Shaair is between the lines of a football field, he becomes fiery, loud, and competitive in a Titans' defense that is not short on energy.
While Arden Key and Jeffery Simmons command a lot of attention for their trash-talking antics and larger than life personalities, Al-Shaair has been making his presence felt this week during training camp.
During Tennessee's 'scrimmage like' practice on Tuesday, Al-Shaair had an impressive two play sequence where he recorded back-to-back tackles for loss. On the first play, Al-Shaair brought down wide receiver Treylon Burks in the open field, but was flagged by head coach Mike Vrabel for a horse collar. On the very next snap, he dropped Tyjae Spears in the backfield and knocked the ball out. The defense recovered the fumble and Azeez was letting the offense hear it.
On Thursday, Al-Shaair started practice with some impressive wins during red zone 1-on-1 reps in the bubble. A few plays later, when Titans offensive tackle Jamarco Jones delivered a blindside block away from the ball on linebacker Chance Campbell, it was Al-Shaair going after Jones and coming to the defense of his teammate.
Make no mistake about it. The former San Francisco 49ers linebacker plays with an edge.
"Anybody that knows me knows that I'm a fiery player," said Al-Shaair when asked about his interaction with Jones. "I think we were just competing. Everybody is competing hard. We all want to make plays."
Al-Shaair compared the situation to fighting with his one of his seven siblings. Sometimes things get a little heated, but you always move on. "Emotions are emotions. It really wasn't anything. Two plays later, nobody really cares about it."
But where does that spark come from? How is it that such a quiet guy can play so loud? For Azeez, football is an outlet for both anger and passion. He is a real life Bruce Banner that turns into The Incredible Hulk during competition. He controls it well, but when Al-Shaair is dialed in, that fiery side comes out.
"Football for me has always been my escape my whole life," Al-Shaair told me after practice on Thursday. "I always had anger problems, but I was always very reserved. When I started to play football it allowed me to let all that energy and passion that I have out in a positive way."
"Obviously in the real world if someone says something crazy to you and you go run them over, nobody cares what happened, you're going to jail," Al-Shaair joked. "In this game that we play, because it is a game, you can hit somebody, you can talk crap and get in each other's faces and then just go to the next play and it's no big deal. It allows you to bring out passion and energy and it's a part of who I am."
If the early returns from camp are any indication, the Titans are absolutely getting their money's worth in the signing of Al-Shaair this offseason. General Manager Ran Carthon, who signed the veteran linebacker to a one-year deal worth five million dollars this offseason, knew exactly what type of player he was getting.
“He’s a maniac on the grass, but one of the most calming and even-keel, humble spirits that you’ll meet off the field,” Carthon said of Al-Shaair back in March, according to Jim Wyatt. But for those who don't have the same history with Azeez, his on-field personality can come as a bit of a shock.
"Everybody's always like 'I didn't know you had that side to you,' but ask Ran [Carthon], Arden [Key], or anybody that has played with me. That's how I've always been," said Al-Shaair.
The 26-year-old linebacker told me that he plays with more emotion when the pads are on than he does during summer OTAs or minicamp. With Monday being Tennessee's first padded practice of training camp, this has been the first week that Azeez's new teammates have seen him playing full tilt.
This "maniac on the grass" has been playing a lot like Hulk this week and is certain to have a major impact on the Titans' 2023 defense.
Titans WR Battle: Roster locks and those on the bubble
How the Titans’ WR battle is shaking out.
