Surprising NFL player earns Walter Payton Man of the Year nomination

Al-Shaair has developed a reputation for being a dirty player on the field. He was suspended for three games last season for a late hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, which came just weeks after Al-Shaair punched a Chicago Bears player on the sidelines. The suspension led to Azeez infamously declaring that he was prepared to be the “villain” everyone painted him to be.

Al-Shaair’s off-field personality, however, has been the polar opposite of how he’s perceived on the field. The veteran linebacker has worked with United Way, a charity that helped him and his family when he was younger. He’s also teamed up with Texans special teams coach Frank Ross to provide haircuts for homeless people through the non-profit organization Covenant House.

The way Al-Shaair found out about the nomination was befitting of the honor. He recently hosted a movie night for students from HYPE Freedom School, a non-profit organization serving underprivileged youth in Houston, at the Texans’ NRG Stadium. What he thought was a post-movie interview turned out to be a celebration of his Walter Payton Man of the Year nomination.

“It’s truly a blessing,” Al-Shaair told NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. “… It just really was speechless for me. Every single day, I just try to treat people with respect, do things the right way, go as hard as I can on the football field, and obviously in the community as well. I just always try to give people the love and attention that I wish I had when I was growing up. It’s just a blessing, for sure.”

Al-Shaair credits his mother, Naadirah, for instilling in him a desire to help others. He recalled a time when his mother gave money to a homeless person despite their family’s struggles during his youth, citing it as a key moment in making him understand what it means to be charitable, regardless of one’s means.

Al-Shaair’s work off the field hasn’t exactly changed his play on the field just yet, as he was nearly suspended for a cheap shot on Seattle Seahawks QB Sam Darnold earlier this season. But Al-Shaair has clearly been able to separate his on-field aggression from his altruistic self off the field.