The Houston Texans have locked up kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn with a two-year, $13 million contract extension, NFL Network Insiders Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo reported Tuesday. The deal makes Fairbairn the highest-paid kicker in the NFL.
The extension keeps Fairbairn in Houston through the 2028 season, ensuring continuity with the only team he has played for during his NFL career. It also raises the financial bar at the position as the Dallas Cowboys continue negotiations with restricted free-agent kicker Brandon Aubrey, who recently received a second-round tender but has yet to sign.
Fairbairn earned the new deal after a standout 2025 campaign in which he converted 44 of 48 field-goal attempts, both league highs. His accuracy proved vital for Houston, frequently turning stalled drives into points. He also attempted 42 field goals in 2024, making 36.
Originally undrafted out of UCLA Bruins football in 2017, Fairbairn has appeared in 138 career games and made 87.6 percent of his field-goal attempts. He has been particularly reliable from long range, connecting on 31 of 33 attempts from 40–49 yards since the start of the 2022 season.
After delivering the most productive season of his career in 2025, Fairbairn now holds the title of the NFL’s top-paid kicker — at least for the moment as the market continues to develop.
