Intown Athlete of the Year: Azeez Al-Shaair
While other metropolitan cities boast about innovation and community impact, Houstonians roll up their sleeves and get to work—building businesses, saving lives, and reimagining what’s possible.
Our best of the year list includes medical breakthroughs in our world-renowned hospitals, transformative real estate projects reshaping our neighborhoods, philanthropic commitments that will echo for generations, and culinary achievements putting Houston on the global food map. This year offered us no shortage of leaders worth celebrating.
The individuals we’re honoring didn’t just have a good year—they had a transformative one. They’re the ones who took risks, who saw potential where others saw problems, and who turned vision into reality. They represent the entrepreneurial spirit, scientific excellence, generosity, and creative ambition that make Houston unlike anywhere else.
Athlete of the Year: Azeez Al-Shaair
From homeless teenager to Pro Bowl linebacker — Azeez Al-Shaair’s 2025 journey reads like a Hollywood script, except it’s unfolding right here in Houston. Al-Shaair, a team captain and defensive signal caller, was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in 2025, leading the NFL’s top-ranked defense with 96 tackles, a career-high eight passes defensed, one interception, and one fumble recovery. But the accolades don’t stop there. The Houston Texans made Al-Shaair their nominee for the 2025 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, a prestigious honor recognizing players who excel on the field and show exceptional dedication to uplifting their communities.
What makes Al-Shaair’s achievements even more remarkable is his backstory. As a high school sophomore, his family became homeless after their Tampa home burned down, and he commuted two hours by bus from a motel to school while playing football. Al-Shaair’s passion for giving back is shaped by these childhood experiences, particularly the period when his family relied on organizations like United Way for support.
In 2025, he paid it forward. Al-Shaair visited Covenant House with teammates to provide support and offered free haircuts to homeless youth, recognized local firefighters on National First Responders Day, celebrated the Texans’ Girls Flag Football Program’s Houston champions, and serves as a sponsor in the Houston Texans Community Huddle Ticket Program. He recently hosted a movie night at NRG Stadium for students at HYPE Freedom School, a nonprofit providing youth development services for children who need support.
For a player who was never drafted, Al-Shaair has become the heartbeat of Houston’s defense—and the city itself. No matter what offensive moves are thrown at him in 2026—on or off the field—it’s clear that Al-Shaair will be one to watch in the future.
