HOUSTON — Houston Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair is being honored for his impact both on and off the field.

The team announced on Wednesday that he is the Texans’ 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award nominee. The award is considered the league’s most prestigious honor for community service.

In a news release, Texans Chair and CEO Cal McNair praised Al-Shaair’s leadership, saying, “Azeez represents everything it means to be a Houston Texan… We’re incredibly proud to recognize him as our Walter Payton Man of the Year.”

A commitment shaped by his own journey

Al-Shaair’s drive to serve others comes from personal experience. As a child, his family lost their home in a fire and spent time homeless in Tampa, Florida.

He said he watched his mother continue to help others even durin

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