Florida Atlantic Professional Athletes

Florida Atlantic has never been a traditional NFL factory, but this week two Owls alumni dominated the league's headlines for reasons that go well beyond box scores.

Hendrickson Plays Through Broken Finger, Then Gets Fined for It

Trey Hendrickson didn't exactly ease into life as a Baltimore Raven. The edge rusher broke a finger "into several pieces" during his Ravens debut — a 41-23 blowout win over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1 — and spent the week leading up to Baltimore's home opener as a genuine game-time question.

He played anyway.

Hendrickson suited up with a cast on his hand and faced the New Orleans Saints, the franchise that originally drafted him. He was listed as active right before kickoff, then delivered a sack in the Ravens' Week 2 matchup — a result that underscored exactly why Baltimore pursued him this offseason. The Ravens fell 24-17 to New Orleans, but Hendrickson's toughness through injury was the kind of moment that tends to define a player's early reputation with a new fan base.

The good feeling didn't last long. The NFL announced fines for Hendrickson and teammate Roquan Smith after separate hits on Saints quarterback Tyler Shough. Hendrickson drew league discipline for his contact on Shough — a stinging coda to a week that had otherwise been a showcase for his durability and determination.

Al-Shaair's Eye Black Becomes a League-Wide Flashpoint

Across the league in Houston, Pro Bowl linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was fighting a different kind of battle. After the Texans' Week 1 game against the Bills, Al-Shaair was fined $11,941 for wearing the name "Hind Rajab" on his eye black — a reference to a Palestinian girl killed in Gaza — in violation of NFL uniform rules, which restrict personal messaging on equipment.

The league didn't stop at the fine. Al-Shaair was told to remove the message before Week 2. He complied, switching to a different inscription, and subsequently received good news that the adjustment resolved his immediate compliance issues. But the episode had already drawn national attention, with CBS Sports breaking down the NFL's rulebook language and the league publicly signaling its frustration with Al-Shaair using his eye black for what it characterized as political messaging.

Al-Shaair, a team captain and one of Houston's most prominent defensive voices, showed no signs of backing down from the broader cause — even while navigating the league's disciplinary machinery. The Texans fell to the Bengals 20-6 on Sunday, a rough team result that did little to pull focus from the off-field story surrounding their linebacker.

The Rest of the Owls

The week wasn't all drama. James Pierre was active for the Vikings in their defensive 9-3 win over Chicago on Sunday. Devin Singletary carried nine times for nine yards for the Giants in their Monday night loss to the Rams, as New York's ground game continues to search for traction early in the season.

For FAU, though, the story of Week 2 is Hendrickson and Al-Shaair — one Owl playing through bone damage to make an impression, another using his platform to make a statement. Both are paying prices. Neither appears ready to stop.

Florida Atlantic's NFL footprint stretched across four franchises in Week 1, with Owls alumni delivering headline performances — and headlines of a different kind — from Baltimore to Houston.

Hendrickson Silences Doubters in Ravens Debut

The biggest FAU story of the week wasn't even about a sack. Trey Hendrickson, who signed a four-year, $112 million contract with Baltimore in March, had no sacks in his Ravens debut against the Indianapolis Colts — yet dominated anyway. On 25 pass-rush reps, Hendrickson generated consistent pressure that disrupted Indianapolis's offense throughout a 41-23 Ravens win, proving the front office's unprecedented move to pay a free-agent edge rusher $30 million per year was justified on day one.

Baltimore had desperately needed a credible pass rush after a dismal 2025 defensive front, and Hendrickson delivered exactly the floor-raising impact the Ravens were buying. The stat sheet undersold him — the film didn't.

The week wasn't without a catch, however. Hendrickson missed Wednesday and Thursday practices with a finger injury and was listed as questionable heading into Week 2 against the Saints. By Friday, he was back on the field, offering Baltimore cautious optimism that their marquee offseason addition will be available for the follow-up.

Pierre Earns More Snaps With Vikings

In Minneapolis, cornerback James Pierre quietly had one of the better weeks of any FAU alum. Pierre recorded an interception in Minnesota's 39-22 blowout of the Green Bay Packers, a performance strong enough that Sports Illustrated's Adam Carlson made the explicit case for the veteran corner to see expanded snaps against Chicago in Week 2. Pierre has been fighting for defensive backfield real estate in Minnesota, and a pick against the Packers is a compelling argument.

Singletary Scores in Giants' Upset of Cowboys

Devin Singletary contributed to one of Week 1's more surprising results, catching a touchdown pass from Jaxson Dart as the New York Giants opened the season with a 28-20 Sunday night win over the Dallas Cowboys — also John Harbaugh's debut as Giants head coach. Singletary finished with 16 rushing yards and added 22 yards on four receptions out of the backfield. It was a modest but meaningful outing for the veteran running back in a game that had "statement win" written all over it for New York.

Al-Shaair Fined — and Defiant

Azeez Al-Shaair's Week 1 story played out entirely off the field. The Texans linebacker was fined $11,941 by the NFL for writing the name "Hind Rajab" on his eye-black strips during Houston's 31-36 loss to the Buffalo Bills — a tribute to a six-year-old Palestinian girl killed in Gaza in 2024. Al-Shaair, a team captain, did not back down after the discipline, saying publicly that most people might not have known who Hind Rajab was before he wrote her name on his face.

The story drew national attention when NBA star Kyrie Irving reposted news of the fine on X and wrote, "I'll take care of his fine." Al-Shaair acknowledged Irving's offer candidly, framing the entire episode around awareness rather than defiance. The NFL subsequently fined Al-Shaair again for continuing the practice.

It was a week that reminded the league — and FAU alumni — that Azeez Al-Shaair operates on his own terms, consequences included.

Florida Atlantic Alumni in the NFL | Week of Aug. 30–Sept. 5, 2026

Florida Atlantic has quietly built one of the more impressive NFL alumni rosters for a program outside the traditional powerhouse conferences, and no one represents that better than Trey Hendrickson — who enters the 2026 season as the marquee pass-rusher for the Baltimore Ravens.

Hendrickson Headlines a Loaded FAU NFL Class

The Ravens' signing of Hendrickson this past offseason wasn't a quiet depth move — it was a statement. Baltimore GM Eric DeCosta addressed the acquisition directly, vouching for the defensive end's big-game pedigree. "When the lights have come on, Trey Hendrickson has brought it," DeCosta said, a ringing endorsement that underscores exactly what Baltimore expects from their new edge presence.

The Ravens had originally pursued a trade for Las Vegas Raiders pass-rusher Maxx Crosby before backing off due to long-term concerns about his knee. Hendrickson became the pivot — and by all accounts, not a consolation prize. Landing a proven edge rusher to anchor a defense that already has championship aspirations makes FAU's former standout one of the most high-profile Owls in the league heading into the season.

At 14 active NFL alumni, FAU's footprint across the league is hard to ignore. The Owls have representation at nearly every position group, from skill players to specialists to the trenches.

Other Owls to Watch

On offense, Devin Singletary (Giants, RB) and Harrison Bryant (Seahawks, TE) are the most recognizable names beyond Hendrickson. Singletary, a steady presence in the backfield since his Buffalo days, now looks to carve out a featured role in New York. Bryant continues to compete for snaps in a tight Seahawks TE room.

At linebacker, FAU is remarkably deep. Azeez Al-Shaair (Texans), Evan Anderson (49ers), Devonta Davis (Colts), and Decarius Hawthorne (Rams) all carry the Owls' defensive identity into the pros — a testament to the program's development of off-ball and edge talent under the program's coaching staff.

In the secondary, Zyon Gilbert (Steelers, CB) and James Pierre (Vikings, CB) give FAU a pair of corners worth tracking as rosters finalize and the regular season kicks off. Je'Quan Burton (Dolphins, WR) adds a South Florida connection, playing his home-state market in Miami.

Greg Joseph keeps FAU's specialist pipeline alive as the Jets' kicker, while Brandon Walton (Falcons, T) and Kobe Lewis (Seahawks, RB) round out one of the broader school representations in the league.

The Bottom Line

Hendrickson's move to Baltimore reframes the FAU alumni story heading into 2026. He's no longer just a former Owl who made good — he's the guy a Super Bowl-contending franchise is counting on to get after the quarterback every week. For a program that doesn't recruit five-star classes out of high school, that's about as loud a statement as it gets.