Texans Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn Regrets Key Mistake in Seahawks Loss

Houston Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn expressed his frustration following a critical mistake during the team’s recent loss to the Seattle Seahawks on October 23, 2025. The Texans fell 27-19 at Lumen Field, and Fairbairn’s short kickoff in the final moments of the game became a focal point of disappointment for both him and head coach DeMeco Ryans.

With just over two minutes remaining, the Texans had narrowed the score after a touchdown pass from quarterback C.J. Stroud to rookie running back Woody Marks. The Texans were poised to regain possession with a defensive stand. Instead, Fairbairn mishit the kickoff, sending the ball only one yard deep into the end zone, allowing Seahawks returner George Holani to bring it out, which effectively wasted valuable time and forfeited the opportunity to utilize the two-minute warning.

“I was disappointed about how that play ended up,” Fairbairn said. “The game plan was clear to me when I was told it was kick it a touchback or kick it out of bounds. We couldn’t give them an opportunity to waste time and save that two-minute warning.”

Fairbairn acknowledged that he was too aggressive with the kick, which ultimately led to the blunder. “I should have been a lot more conservative and I also just mishit the kick. I’ll get it corrected,” he added.

The kicking error was not the only issue for the Texans during the game. They committed 10 penalties for a total of 105 yards and struggled with turnovers while their offense faced challenges against a robust Seahawks defense. Seattle’s standout receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, played a significant role, further complicating the Texans’ efforts.

Despite this setback, Fairbairn has demonstrated strong performance this season, achieving 13 of 15 on field goals and 10 of 10 on extra points. He has also successfully converted 5 of 7 field goals from distances of 50 yards or more.

“The plan at the end of the game was to kick the ball out of bounds so we could utilize the timeouts, and we did not execute that,” Coach Ryans noted. “It’s frustrating that we’re not executing the things that we’re supposed to do.”

Looking ahead, Fairbairn will face a familiar face in the upcoming game against the San Francisco 49ers—his longtime long snapper, Jon Weeks, who now plays for that team. “I’m looking forward to seeing him this week, but the main thing is to get a win, regardless of who we’re facing,” Fairbairn said.

The Texans will need to regroup quickly as they aim to bounce back from this loss and improve their execution in crucial moments as the season progresses.