Ka'imi Fairbairn

BIOGRAPHY

John Christian Kaʻiminoeauloamekaʻikeokekumupaʻa “Kaʻimi” Fairbairn was born on January 29, 1994 in Kailua, Hawaii to John and Rochelle Fairbairn. The name Ka‘imi, meaning “seeker of wisdom” in Hawaiian, was chosen by his family in honor of their extensive ancestral roots in Hawaii. Rather than utilizing his birth name, Fairbairn preferred to use his Hawaiian name throughout his life. Since his childhood, he had a keen interest in football, however, he was more inclined towards catching the football than kicking it.

Fairbairn attended Punahou School where he excelled in both football and soccer as a central defender. He was recognized as a two-time first-team all-state player and played a key role in helping his team secure two state championships. Also, at some point, Fairbairn considered playing water polo but due to his lack of strong swimming skill, he decided to stick with football. As a junior and senior, he was frequently named first-team all-state and was nationally ranked as the No. 4 recruit at kicker when he graduated high school.

In 2012, Fairbairn received a scholarship from UCLA and played as a true freshman, becoming the first Bruin to score at least 100 points each season throughout his college career. Though he encountered certain challenges during his freshman year – specifically having his first two extra points blocked in a game against Rice, he managed to establish a steady performance as a close-range kicker. Even though he had a tough junior year, missing a crucial 55-yard attempt against Utah, he learned from his failures and prepared to bounce back in his senior year.

In 2015, UCA’s senior year, Fairbairn delivered an impressively consistent performance. He held a record of 20 out of 23 successful field goal attempts with 16 perfect attempts from within the 40-yard line and four beyond 40. His notable performance that season led him to win the prestigious Lou Groza Award, which is awarded annually to the nation’s top college kicker. However, his college career ended with a 46-yard miss during the Foster Farms Bowl against Nebraska.

Fairbairn went undrafted in the 2016 NFL draft but was soon picked up as a free agent by the Houston Texans. After spending the whole of 2016 nursing a quadriceps injury, he was named the team’s starting kicker in 2017 over Nick Novak. He made 32 out of 35 extra point attempts and 20 out of 25 field goal attempts during his rookie year.

The 2018 football season marked a remarkable performance by Fairbairn where he led the league in points scored, field goals made, and field goals attempted, all whilst maintaining a perfect score on kicks from within the 40-yard line. This phenomenal performance bestowed him the honor of the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for December and Player of the Week following a game against the New York Jets.

Despite a slow start in 2019, Fairbairn regained his momentum and finished his season with an impressive 20 successful field goals out of 25 attempts. The standout moment came during the first round of the playoffs when he made a game-winning 28-yard field goal in overtime, which led the Texans to a victory over the Buffalo Bills. Before the start of the 2020 season, Fairbairn was offered a four-year contract worth $17.65 million by the Texans, where he managed to convert 37 of 40 extra point attempts and 27 of 31 field goal attempts throughout the season.

Fairbairn’s skills were put to test yet again in his 2022 season where he converted all 24 extra point attempts and 29 of 31 field goal attempts, showcasing the steadiness of his performance yet again. However, his season was cut short due to a quad injury. Upon recovery, he returned with a bang, converting all five of his kicks for a total of 13 points, which included a 54-yard game-winner in overtime, in a game against the Tennessee Titans. This performance won him the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week.

As 2024 rolled in, Fairbairn signed a three-year contract extension worth $15.9 million with the Texans. The highlight of the season came in a game against the Buffalo Bills where he converted a challenging 59-yard field goal as the clock hit zero, leading Texans to a momentous victory. Through dedication, hard work, and resilience ‘Kaʻimi’ Fairbairn has earned his place as one of the professional football’s most reliable and successful placekickers.