With a powerful swing of his right leg, Texans kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn set the franchise record for the longest field goal with a 61-yard boot to split the uprights during the first half of a loss Sunday to the Seattle Seahawks.
Fairbairn’s previous individual long field goal was 55 yards.
On this kick, he set the record for the longest field goal ever made at NRG Stadium. Fairbairn, who struggled earlier this season after returning from a groin injury, has scored 500 career points and joined Kris Brown as the only Texans players to hit that milestone. He’s the 49th player since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to reach 500 points in 74 career games or less.
“It was pretty sweet,” said Fairbairn, who made both of his two field goal attempts Sunday during the 33-13 defeat. “Felt good coming off the foot. I just wish we got the win. It would have been that much sweeter.”
For the season, Fairbairn has connected on 11 of 14 field goals.
Fairbairn said he’s made a 65-yarder in warm-ups previously, but this represented his longest distance in a game by six yards over his previous long kick.
“Obviously, it’s a little longer, so I tried to get more behind it,” Fairbairn said. “But pretty much same routine. I was just ready when my name was called. I think long distance kicks are fun. We practice them and when you're lucky enough to get an opportunity to hit them, you want to execute.
Fairbairn missed two extra points and a 56-yard field goal attempt in an October loss to the New England Patriots. Since that game, Fairbairn has been extremely steady and regained his kicking form. He helped the Texans pull off an upset victory over the Tennessee Titans on the road with his accuracy.
“I think just riding the waves of ups and downs, learning from each opportunity whether it’s make or miss,” Fairbairn said. “Try to learn more from the misses. It’s a lot of mental game for me and I try to work on that through the week and take one rep at a time. I’ve been lucky to have good teammates, good coaches that believe in me and throw me out there for a 61-yarder. Lucky to make it.”