HOUSTON (AP) 鈥� Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair were brought together by football, but it is a relationship forged by faith.
Anderson, a Christian, and Al-Shaair, a Muslim, didn鈥檛 let religious differences divide them. Instead, they leaned into their shared piousness to build a bond through faith that has paid dividends both on and off the field.
鈥淚鈥檓 a Christian through and through, but I also think it鈥檚 very important to see how other people 鈥� think and how they feel about certain things,鈥� Anderson said.
Added Al-Shaair: 鈥淚鈥檓 open about my faith and I use my faith and the things I鈥檝e experienced in conversations with guys and the same for him. So, every time we talked we were always hitting on the same cylinder, like dang that鈥檚 exactly how I feel 鈥� so, I feel like it just worked out perfectly.鈥�
Before they lead the Texans鈥� top-ranked defense into the postseason , these captains will find a quiet place away from the game-day chaos for a private talk to center themselves and discuss their faith. Anderson, who was named a on Saturday, and Al-Shaair, a first-time Pro Bowler who leads the team with 103 tackles, aim to help Houston get its first road playoff win.
Anderson said Al-Shaair has given him a boost from the moment he arrived in Houston before last season. Those pregame chats, though, might mean the most.
鈥淚 could truly say our talks before the game really help me,鈥� Anderson said. 鈥淲e try not to miss that talk before the game and that really helps both of us just get in that mindset and both of us really just (knowing) what we鈥檙e doing it for, why we鈥檙e doing it, and everything like that.鈥�
Though there are fundamental differences in their religions, they both have values they feel are universal.
鈥淎lthough Azeez is a Muslim and I鈥檓 Christian, we share a lot of the same similarities with our faith and our morals and beliefs,鈥� Anderson said. 鈥淭alking to Azeez 鈥� it鈥檚 kind of the comparison, but it also leads back to just being a moral person 鈥� and having great values, and I think the biggest thing that we talk about is how we treat others.鈥�
They also exchange stories of faith working in their lives and confide in each other with personal doubts and worries related to the physical game they play.
鈥淛ust (about) trusting God, believing in God and knowing it鈥檚 God鈥檚 timing and really just being there for each other,鈥� Anderson said. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 a story from the Quran or a story from the Bible, it really doesn鈥檛 matter because we鈥檙e both sharing our faith and we both know who we believe in, which is God.鈥�
The pair have grown so close that Al-Shaair says it sometimes feels like they鈥檙e the same person. On the day both were selected to the Pro Bowl this season, in separate interviews both players noted that the honor meant more because they shared it and each mentioned their faith-based relationship.
鈥淏ut that鈥檚 just how me and him have always been since we鈥檝e met each other,鈥� Al-Shaair said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like we鈥檙e literally just kind of in each other鈥檚 brains.鈥�
As a Muslim, growing up mostly in Florida, Al-Shaair has had relationships with Christians his entire life. The opposite isn鈥檛 true for Anderson, who was raised Baptist in suburban Atlanta.
鈥淥h no, no, no, I didn鈥檛 know any Muslims growing up,鈥� Anderson said with a laugh.
Anderson said he didn鈥檛 even meet a Muslim until he trained with current Titans linebacker Ali Gaye while preparing for the combine. He isn鈥檛 sure why some people are so reticent with those who don鈥檛 share their beliefs, but he has found it illuminating.
Al-Shaair appreciates that Anderson has worked to understand his religion, especially since he鈥檚 dealt with many throughout his life who have made no effort to do so.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 just been the coolest thing,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen you talk about faith it鈥檚 almost funny because I tell people there鈥檚 a lot of Muslims that know a lot about Bible and not really a lot of Christians that know anything about Islam other than all the Islamophobic 鈥� propaganda stuff and things like that. People don鈥檛 actually understand.鈥�
Though he had plenty of relationships with Christians before building the one with Anderson, he believes their religious discussions have enriched his faith.
鈥淚n Islam, it鈥檚 actually encouraged to learn about other religions, other faiths, so it should reinforce your belief in your own, where I feel that鈥檚 just not always the case,鈥� Al-Shaair said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 been the cool part with me and him, is we鈥檝e been able to kind of piggyback and bounce off the knowledge of both faiths. It鈥檚 been very transparent and open. We鈥檝e both learned a lot from each other because of that.鈥�
They鈥檝e also been there for each other through difficult times, particularly last season for an illegal hit on Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence. In the wake of the hit, Al-Shaair dealt with racist and Islamophobic online abuse that coupled with the suspension put him in what he called a 鈥渞eally dark place.鈥�
Anderson witnessed Al-Shaair leaning heavily on his faith during that time and revels at how much things have changed for his friend since that tough chapter.
鈥淚n religion and faith and everything like that, it always comes with pain and suffering,鈥� Anderson said. 鈥淎nd that鈥檚 when I say God literally gets the final word because the world can persecute you, the world can say all this stuff about you and look where God has brought him this year.鈥�
Along with being named to his first Pro Bowl and leading the team in tackles, Al-Shaair was named Houston鈥檚 this season. He almost can鈥檛 believe how far he鈥檚 come from last season, when he wasn鈥檛 sure if he鈥檇 ever play football again. He credits his faith for the turnaround.
鈥淚t鈥檚 been the No. 1 thing to why I was able to get over the hump and go through all that adversity and still be able to come out on the other side,鈥� he said. 鈥淣ot just come out on the other side but flourish. I鈥檓 better now than I was even before all that stuff even happened and I think that鈥檚 the biggest blessing.鈥�
And at a time of increased divisiveness in this country, these 20-something-year-old football players wish more people would see things the way they do.
鈥淚f you just have compassion and are able to not be so stuck in your own head and your own mindset, and 鈥� just open up your heart, you鈥檒l realize, like, wow OK, that makes sense, we鈥檙e a lot more similar than we are different,鈥� Al-Shaair said. 鈥淎nd it just makes everything a lot better for everybody.鈥�
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