DECEMBER 13: Fairbairn will indeed return to practice Wednesday, per Wilson. After five missed games, the seventh-year Texans kicker is on track to return to his post in Week 15.
DECEMBER 12: The Texans look to be making preparations for their standard kicker setup to be back in place. After Matt Ammendola kicked for the team for the past five games, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson notes Houston is releasing the young specialist from its practice squad.
This will clear the way for Ka’imi Fairbairn, whom Wilson adds is expected to be activated from IR this week. Fairbairn has missed more than the IR-mandated minimum game count due to a quad strain, but the playoff-contending team is on track to have him back in Week 15.
A third-year kicker, Ammendola worked as a fill-in option for the Chiefs and Cardinals last season. He kicked in 11 games for the Jets as a rookie in 2021. This season, the 27-year-old specialist has missed three field goals — one a 58-yard game-tying attempt at the end of a three-point Texans loss to the Jaguars — and an extra point.
Fairbairn has been Houston’s kicker since he arrived as a 2017 UDFA. The 29-year-old Hawaiian made 93.5% of his field goal tries last season — by far a career-high for a full campaign. Prior to the quad injury, Fairbairn had gotten off to a strong start this season. Through eight games, Fairbairn had made 18 of 19 field goal attempts and was 14-for-14 on extra points.
Although Fairbairn has not been officially designated for return, he should be expected to both begin practicing and return to action this week. The Texans also used an IR activation on their punter, Cameron Johnston, earlier this year.