From overlooked to Pro Bowl standout, Azeez Al-Shaair's remarkable journey showcases resilience and undeniable talent on the field.
When the NFL announced the 2026 Pro Bowl roster on Tuesday, the Houston Texans had four players who earned spots through fan, coach, and player voting. It was the ultimate sign of respect for the players to have their peers recognize them for their on-field play.
Three of the four names for Houston were expected, as edge rusher Will Anderson Jr. has taken his game to the next level this season with 11.5 sacks, cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. is having another All-Pro season, and wide receiver Nico Collins has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the third consecutive season.
Those three players already know what to expect, as they will make their second consecutive trip in the last three seasons. Stingley Jr. and Collins are named starters, and Anderson Jr. will receive his first start.
Yet, the last player for the Texans to make the roster was one that no one saw coming except the Houston coaches and players, who have seen the impact he has had since arriving two seasons ago from the Tennessee Titans.
Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair will make his first Pro Bowl appearance in his seven-year career.
“I’m really proud of all of our guys who made the Pro Bowl,” said Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans. “A really special one, probably more special to me for seeing Azeez [Al-Shaair] be able to make the Pro Bowl. Seeing the trajectory of his career, where he started as an undrafted free agent, backup player, and special teams player, and to see him make his way in this league.
“Not just make his way, but to come in and knock the doors down and show everyone throughout the league this year the type of player that he is. He’s our Walter Payton Man of the Year [Club Winner]. Now he gets this huge honor of the Pro Bowl, which is even bigger because you get the respect from your peers.
“That’s the thing that means a lot. I’m so proud of Azeez for accomplishing this. This Pro Bowl is huge for him, it’s a huge honor and it was a special moment for me to be able to announce that news to him this morning.”
The journey to the 2026 Pro Bowl selection is one Al-Shaair has traveled before, as he often recalls his homeless adolescent years as a source of inspiration never to forget where he has come from.
He has often been misunderstood because of the passion with which he plays, as evidenced by his 2024 three-game suspension for his hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
During Al-Shaair’s time away from the team, he received hateful rhetoric from fans who sent him death threats, questioned his faith, and posted his personal information online for others to see.
It was a very dark time for him, but he leaned on those close to him to get him through it, and his return helped fuel the Texans to their second consecutive AFC South title and playoff berth. This season, he has been a constant presence in the middle of the number one overall defense in the NFL.
“Just a year ago today, I was in the space that I thought about quitting playing football,” said Al-Shaair at his locker on Tuesday. “I thought I couldn’t play the game how I’ve always loved to play it, and just felt like the narrative and the things that were being said about me was just so different from what I feel like you see on tape and the people that know me. Thank God, it’s just absolutely amazing with this timing.
“Everything that I went through over the last year has set me here, removed from being basically the outcast of the league to now being a Pro Bowl. I’m on a great team with a great defense. A year ago, it was hard for me to see myself playing the game.”
Yet, Al-Shaair was named a team captain this season and has started all 14 games he has appeared in, recording a team-leading 96 tackles (46 solo), a career-high eight passes defensed, two quarterback hits, one tackle for loss, one interception, and one fumble recovery.
After missing last week’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders with a knee and ankle injury, Al-Shaair is on track to start in one of the biggest games of the season for the Texans, a Week 17 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers that has playoff implications and AFC seeding on the line.
Category: General Sports
