HOUSTON – Texans veteran Ka’imi Fairbairn is now the NFL’s highest paid kicker with a two-year, $13 million extension, per a league source.
Fairbairn is a record-setting mainstay of the Texans’ successful special teams units.
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He tied an NFL record with 44 field goals last season, matching David Akers’ single-season mileston.
Fairbairn is represented by agent Justin Schulman of Athletes First.
Fairbairn was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week last season after hitting six field goals to tie the franchise single-game record. That included the game-winning kick with 12 seconds remaining in a 36-30 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.And that final field goal tied the NFL single-season records for field goals with David Akers, who also hit 44 field goals for the San Francisco 49ers in 2011.
“He means everything,” Texans Pro Bowl defensive end Will Anderson Jr. said of Fairbairn’s importance. “He got us out of a lot of sticky situations, man. And he has put a lot of points on the board for us, man. If it wasn’t for him, we wouldn’t be in the position that we’re in right now.”
“Best kicker in the league,” Texans wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson said. “Ice in his veins.”
After the Colts game, Fairbairn received a game ball from Texans coach DeMeco Ryans and a lot of praise.
“Shoutout to ‘Imi,” Ryans said. “We can’t be where we are right now without ‘Imi and what he’s been capable of doing. T. A lot of times, I tell our guys, ‘You take for granted when you have such a great kicker who is able to secure you points, even if things don’t go your way in the red zone.’
“You want to score touchdowns every single drive, but it doesn’t happen. You get in range, and you got a sure-footed kicker who can make those points. We are so thankful for ‘Imi and how he consistently has performed throughout this entire year.”
Fairbairn, who tied Randy Bullock’s six field goals made in a 2014 win over the Baltimore Ravens, has been ultra-reliable.
The former Lou Groza award winner from UCLA has been kicking for the Texans for nine years. He missed a few games with a quadriceps injury this season. For his career, Fairbairn has made 244 of 291 field goals (87.6 percent). He made all 28 extra points last season.
Playing for special teams coordinator Frank Ross, a two-time Rick Gosselin award winner for having the top special teams units, Fairbairn adapted to a new long snapper last season in rookie Austin Brinkman after legendary long snapper Jon Weeks wasn’t re-signed and joined the San Francisco 49ers.
Fairbairn and the kicking operation didn’t miss a beat.
“I think it starts with coaching and those guys, coach Frank is a great coach, and he really does a great job of getting us ready on a weekly basis,” Fairbairn said. “He demands a lot from us, and we definitely demand a lot from each other, so, yeah, I think that’s pretty neat.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com