Ka’imi Fairbairn – Page 2 – Syndication Server

Texans special teams coach Frank Ross admires Ka’imi Fairbairn’s consistency

Houston Texans special teams coach Frank Ross appreciates how kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn has started the season with consistency.

The only big change to hit Ka’imi Fairbairn on the football field is a number change.

The Houston Texans’ kicker sports No. 15 now that quarterback C.J. Stroud obtained the rights to No. 7, Fairbairn’s number from 2017-22. Although the numeral has changed, the production on the field is close to where it was a year ago.

Fairbairn finished 2022 with a 93.5% hit rate on field goals (29-31). Through five games this season, the former UCLA Bruin is 93.8% (15-16).

Texans special teams coach Frank Ross told reporters Oct. 12 the reliability from Fairbairn makes for an impressive trait.

“He’s loose, man, and he does a great job of staying level-headed,” Ross said. “Nothing is too big or too small, he’s just the same person every day — consistency. Happy with where he’s at. No kicker is perfect, but whenever we’re in practice and we miss a kick then he does his best to make that correction in real time in the moment and not over correcting it. Just be whatever correction he’s made.”

Fairbairn has also been consistent on extra points. Since Week 1 of last year, the Texans are 34-34 on extra points, which is the much preferred kick attempt the Texans would like to see from the former Lou Groza Award winner.

“Hopefully he continues to grow and anytime we go out on the field, we expect points,” said Ross.

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Texans K Ka’imi Fairbairn pledging field goals, extra points to help rebuild Maui

Houston Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn is pledging his extra points and field goals to raise money to help rebuild Maui following the wildfires.

Maui suffered an immense disaster with the wildfires that struck Hawaii’s big island in mid-August.

Houston Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn, who was born in Kailua on O’ahu, is using his platform in the NFL to help the residents tasked with an arduous and emotional rebuilding process.

According to Fairbairn’s Instagram, the Texans kicker will donate $250 per made field goal and $100 per made extra point to rebuild Maui in partnership with the Lonomai Foundation.

Texans special teams coach Frank Ross told reporters Aug. 24 that Fairbairn’s efforts to help Maui are, “just a small representation of who he is.”

“That’s who he is every day,” Ross said. “I mean, the guy has such a high level of care for human and that’s who he is.”

While Ross admitted to never venturing out from the United States’ mainland in his life, he nevertheless could appreciate Fairbairn using his platform in the NFL to help the state where he grew up.

“God bless him and for anyone impacted for ‘Imi’ [Fairbairn] and part of our country, I hope everything can back on their feet as soon as possible so that’s fantastic that he’s doing that,” said Ross.

Fairbairn graduated from Punahou High School in Honolulu as a star in football and water polo.

“Hopefully everyone that’s out there that saw that can help contribute for him and Hawaii,” Ross said.

To learn more, visit rebuildingmaui.org

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Could the Texans use more squib kicks on kickoffs?

With the new kickoff rule providing for fair-catching kickoffs, would the Houston Texans use more squib kicks to entice opponents to return kicks?

NFL rules on player safety are typically a pendulum that swing either for the offense or defense.

The league’s new kickoff rules stipulate that a returner can fair-catch a kick and have the offense’s drive start at the 25-yard line — the same result as if there were a touchback.

Houston Texans special teams coordinator Frank Ross is a competitor yet also believes in player safety. Nevertheless as a coach in the transition phase of the game, Ross understands special teams is a component of the game where players are able to make their case for inclusion on the 53-man roster.

“When we get a chance to cover a kick, let’s go out there with our hair on fire,” Ross told reporters May 31 after organized team activities. “We get a chance to return it, we want those guys to get shot out of a cannon and go. I got it. I’m 100% in favor of player safety, so, anything to elongate the existence of the NFL and our game, great, and player safety.”

While Ross was filibustering on playing within the rules of the game, he provided an interesting scenario.

Said Ross: “Those are the rules, so we’ll play within that scheme. If that’s going to save time, waving a fair catch, end-of-half situation or you’ve got to learn how to squib it and get it through, you’ve got to judge yard mark, what’s the average return.”

A squib kick, which is a kickoff that hits ground first as it bounds its way to the opposing end zone similar to a grounder in baseball, would fall outside the parameters of fair-kick eligibility. If a returner fielded a squibbed kick, the point where they were downed by contact would be the starting point of the offense’s drive, not the 25-yard line — even with the rule change.

After possession field position is a key part of special teams.

“That starting field position, you guys have known this, that chart doesn’t lie,” said Ross. “Every yard means percentage up on opportunity to score on the offensive end or defensive side to defend.”

If the Texans wanted to mitigate the opponent’s ability to start drives at the 25-yard line, using Ka’imi Fairbairn to squib more could be an option.

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Texans K Ka’imi Fairbairn can name price if C.J. Stroud wants No. 7

If new Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud wants to keep wearing No. 7, he will have to make a deal with K Ka’imi Fairbairn.

One big winner from the Houston Texans’ first night of the 2023 NFL draft was Ka’imi Fairbairn.

The Texans picked Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud No. 2 overall on Thursday night at Union Station in Kansas City, the site of the draft. Stroud made a name for himself with the Buckeyes in his No. 7 jersey.

If Stroud wants to continue wearing his college number, he will have to see the Texans’ kicker.

Currently Fairbairn sports the No. 7 for Houston, and has done so since 2017.

Customarily jersey numbers are bartered for, which makes the prime number valuable.

The last Texans player to wear No. 7 other than Fairbairn was quarterback Brian Hoyer in 2015.

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4 Houston Texans who were named Pro Bowl alternates

The Houston Texans had four players who were named alternates to the Pro Bowl.

Even though the Houston Texans are 1-12-1, factually worse than they were entering Week 16 a year ago with a 3-11 record, they are doing better in another area.

Houston had a player named to the Pro Bowl in left tackle Laremy Tunsil. It marks the first time since 2020 that the Texans had a player make the AFC roster.

The Texans also had four players who were named Pro Bowl alternates. If the AFC has players who don’t want to take part in the Pro Bowl games, these Texans could be called upon to take their place — and then the “alternate” part is dropped and the term “Pro Bowler” becomes official.

Ka’imi Fairbairn scored 600th career point vs. Cowboys in Week 14

Fairbairn scored his 600th career point in the #Texans’ loss to the #Cowboys in Week 14

Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn scored his 600th career point against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 14, cementing himself as the Houston Texans’ second-leading scorer all-time behind kicker Kris Brown. Fairbairn was three-for-three on his three-point attempts and converted both of his extra-point attempts in the Texans’ loss.

His 11 total points helped keep Houston within striking distance of their second win of the season, but a late defensive collapse on the Texans’ final defensive drive gave Dallas the edge they needed to escape the matchup as the victor. If it weren’t for Fairbairn’s expert kicking performance, this game would’ve gotten out of hand for Houston, and they would have struggled to put up such a competitive showing.

Fairbairn, a native of Hawaii, has played for the Texans since joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2016 after an illustrious career at the University of California, Los Angeles. He became the second UCLA Bruin to win the coveted Lou Groza Award for his performance in 2015 and made an instant impact for Houston as soon as he stepped foot on the field.

After a few years to get his footing in the NFL, Fairbairn ended the 2018 season as the league’s leading scorer and has been a steady contributor to the Texans’ special teams unit ever since. He has an all-time conversion percentage of 84.8 percent on field goal attempts, and his career-long field goal is 61 yards.

Houston will continue to rely on Fairbairn’s golden leg for years to come, and especially through the end of their 2022 schedule as they seek to find their second win of the season in the next five weeks. The highly respected kicker will have his work cut out for him amid the Texans’ recent quarterback controversies, which will surely give him ample opportunities to kick for three points over the remainder of the regular season.

Halftime analysis of Texans Week 7 matchup vs. Raiders

Here are our thoughts on the #Texans’ first-half performance against the #Raiders in Week 7

The Houston Texans are in a fierce competition against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7 and have held their own against the AFC’s worst team by record so far. A win this week would get Houston a game closer to the .500 mark and could open the door to a more competitive season as their 2022 schedule wears on.

This game hasn’t been the most exciting matchup of the day so far, but for Texans fans, the team’s gritty play is sure to be a breath of fresh air after their disappointing 1-3-1 start to the season.

Here are our takeaways from the first half of this Week 7 matchup:

Texans waive kicker Matt Ammendola

The Houston Texans waived Matt Ammendola, who helped them have a kicker to get through the preseason finale with the San Francisco 49ers.

One sign that may indicate Ka’imi Fairbairn will be ready to go against the Indianapolis Colts on Sept. 11 is the other kicker is gone.

The Houston Texans waived Matt Ammendola on Saturday. The former New York Jets kicker was on the 80-man roster as the Texans needed a specialist to get through the preseason finale against the San Francisco 49ers on Aug. 25 at NRG Stadium.

Ammendola went 2-2 on extra points for Houston in the 17-0 win, but went 1-2 on field goals. Ammendola hit a 45-yarder with 2:02 to go in the third quarter, but missed wide left on a 31-yarder with 12:59 to go in the game.

Fairbairn missed the contest with what has been deemed a short-term injury.

Texans sign K Matt Ammendola

The Houston Texans have signed former New York Jets kicker Matt Ammendola.

The foregone conclusion is now official.

The Houston Texans have signed former New York Jets kicker Matt Ammendola to their active roster ahead of Thursday night’s preseason finale with the San Francisco 49ers at NRG Stadium.

Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn is dealing with a short-term injury and will not available. It will be the second straight preseason finale that Fairbairn has missed.

Ammendola tried out with the Texans earlier in the week. The 5-9, 195-pound kicker played 10 games for the Jets last season, connecting on 13-of-19 field goals and 14-of-15 extra points.

Last preseason, the Texans had to go with safety Justin Reid to handle kickoffs and extra points when Fairbairn was a scratch due to an injury in pregame warmups against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Report: Texans K Ka’imi Fairbairn expected to miss 49ers game

Houston Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn is expected to miss the preseason finale against the San Francisco 49ers.

The Houston Texans will be without Ka’imi Fairbairn when they take on the San Francisco 49ers in the preseason finale at NRG Stadium Aug. 25.

According to Aaron Wilson from the Pro Football Network, the Texans’ kicker is dealing with a short-term injury. As a result, the Texans are working out former New York Jets kicker Matt Ammendola.

Ammendola played 11 games for the Jets last season, making 13-of-19 field goals and 14-of-15 extra points.

Last preseason, Fairbairn similarly sustained an injury in warmups against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the preseason finale. Safety Justin Reid handled kicking duties for the Texans, who later signed Joey Slye to fill in for Fairbairn as he recovered from his groin injury.