Houston Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair is heading back into familiar territory that he doesn’t want to be in

There’s bad news for WR Xavier Hutchinson as well.

Nick Roesch — NFL Trending News Writer
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Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) on the sideline
Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (0) on the sideline © Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Texans lost a heartbreaker to the Denver Broncos in Week 9 by a 18-15 final score.

That dropped them to a 3-5 record, and puts them into a must-win situation against the Jacksonville Jaguars next week. Unfortunately, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair has more to worry about than how the team is fairing as a whole.

Texans LB Azeez Al-Shaair fined by NFL

The league hit Al-Shaair with a $17,389 fine for a hit on a defenseless player, under the category of unnecessary roughness. The incident occurred late in the fourth quarter against Denver, as Al-Shaair delivered a big blow to Broncos running back J.K. Dobbins.

This is the second time Al-Shaair has been fined for unnecessary roughness, as he delivered a blow to the head to Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward back in Week 4. In 2024 Al-Shaair was suspended for three games for committing multiple dirty hits, and racked up a total of $47,933 in fines. 

It’s very possible that he finds himself suspended yet again, because apparently he’s not learning. If he does, it will be longer than the three games he got last season. Statistically, Al-Shaair is having a very solid season, recording 51 total tackles, five passes defensed, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery.

WR Xavier Hutchinson also fined vs. Broncos

Early in the third quarter, Hutchinson caught a 19-yard pass from quarterback Davis Mills en route to a field goal, which was the Texans’ final score of the game. After Hutchinson caught the ball, he had some words with Broncos cornerback Riley Moss, then spun the ball on the ground.

For that, the NFL fined Hutchinson $5,949 for taunting, under the category of unsportsmanlike conduct. He was not penalized on the play. This is honestly a pretty weak decision by the league, regardless of whether or not it is trying to crackdown on taunting.

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