The Houston Texans got back to work on Tuesday, the second day of legal tampering in free agency, with Ka’imi Fairbairn.
Houston has focused their efforts on the trenches, both offensively and defensively, with moves at running back and safety plugging their other gaping holes. The Texans’ decision on Fairbairn settles another phase entirely.
It also secures one of the game’s most reliable options in must-have situations.
Texans Sign Ka’imi Fairbairn to Extension
GettyKa’imi Fairbairn #15 of the Houston Texans lines up before a field goal against the Buffalo Bills.
“#Texans signing Ka’imi Fairbairn to two-year, $13 million deal, per a league source,” KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson reported on X on March 10.
“After tying an NFL record with 44 field goals and converting 100 percent of his extra points last season, #Texans veteran kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn signing two-year, $13 million extension, per a league source.”
The deal makes Fairbairn the highest-paid kicker in the NFL.
A former undrafted free agent out of UCLA in 2016, Fairbairn has been the Texans’ kicker since 2017, and has twice led the league in field goal attempts and makes.
In his nine-year career, Fairbairn has an 87.6% hit rate. That is fifth among kickers with at least 200 FGAs since 2017, per Stathead. He is the only kicker with at least 290 attempts since he entered the league.
The Texans have leaned on Fairbairn, and he has rewarded them. It fits that they do the same.
He was entering the final year of a three-year, $15.9 million pact, and he has $33.6 million in career earnings.
Ka’imi Fairbairn Bounced Back From Unfortunate Situation
GettyKa’imi Fairbairn #15 of the Houston Texans prepares to kick a field goal against the Tennessee Titans.
Fairbairn won games for the Texans during the 2025 season, but the campaign also had its share of down moments for the highly regarded veteran.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans did not mince words about a critical kickoff against the Seattle Seahawks on “Monday Night Football” in Week X. Fairbairn was supposed to make use of the league rules, but operated as usual, which drew Ryans’ ire.
“The plan at the end of the game, we’re kicking the ball out of bounds so we can utilize the two-minute and I had a timeout, and we did not execute that,” Ryans told reporters in October. “Again, just goes to the entire game. So, frustrating that we’re not executing the things we’re coached to do.”
From that point on, though, Fairbairn was at his best, albeit in a different aspect. He had connected on 84.6% of his field goal attempts leading up to that game, in which he went 2-for-2. However, Fairbairn successfully converted 93.6% of his attempts from then on.
Texans Had Good Fortunes With Placekickers
GettyMatthew Wright of the Houston Texans kicks a field goal against the Tennessee Titans.
Fairbairn missed two games during the 2025 regular season, and the Texans were fortunate to land Matthew Wright in his absence.
Wright, a Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022, connected on all four of his field goal tries in a Texans uniform. He held down the fort until Fairbairn returned, earning praise from Ryans.
Still, Fairbairn’s return was good news for the Texans then, and his extension is this offseason.
With one-score games a frequent occurrence in the NFL, and a significant portion of those coming down to kicking decisions during or at the end of games, Fairbairn is a plus-asset.
Texans Agree to Benchmark Contract With Record-Setting Veteran