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Texans officially sign LB Azeez Al-Shaair to extension

By Thomson Reuters May 1, 2026 | 12:57 PM

The Houston Texans announced a three-year contract extension with Pro Bowl linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair on Friday.

Terms were not ​disclosed but multiple reports put ‌the total value at $54 million.

Al-Shaair is the third key defensive player to sign an extension this offseason. All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr. got ‌a ​three-year, $150 million deal and five-time ⁠Pro Bowl edge ⁠rusher Danielle Hunter signed a one-year, $40.1 million deal.

Al-Shaair, 28, whose current deal was set to expire after the 2026 season, ​is tied to the franchise through 2029.

“This place is special. The people are ⁠special,” Al-Shaair said, per ⁠KPRC2. “A sense of family is ​hard to come by. Who would have thought ​I would make it to the NFL? ‌I went through homelessness. I went to several schools. I couldn’t see myself putting on a uniform with anybody else.”

Al-Shaair, ⁠a team captain and first-time Pro Bowl selection in 2025, recorded 103 tackles, nine passes defensed ⁠and two ‌interceptions in 16 games (all starts) ⁠during the regular season.

He has ​totaled ‌535 tackles, six sacks, five forced ​fumbles, ⁠five fumble recoveries and four interceptions in 100 career games (75 starts) with the San Francisco 49ers (2019-22), Tennessee Titans (2023) and Texans. He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent.

–Field ​Level Media