Kurt Hinish

BIOGRAPHY

Kurt Hinish, born on April 27, 1999, is currently recognized as an esteemed player in American professional football, serving as a defensive tackle for prominent National Football League (NFL) team, the Houston Texans. Having shown promising skill in the sport during his college years at Notre Dame, Hinish launched his career with the Texans in 2022 as an undrafted free agent.

Born and raised in the sports-loving city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where football culture thrives, Hinish’s passion for the sport was kindled early on. He honed his skills under the competitive atmosphere of Central Catholic High School, excelling in football both during his junior and senior years, with commendable performance statistics.

It was during his junior year that Hinish began to make waves in high school football with an enviable record of 32 tackles, a seminal contribution to the team’s impressive 15-1 record. His senior year (2016) saw him further improve his commendable tally with 27 tackles and three enviable sacks. By the end of the year, he’d earned the coveted first-team all-state honors and was named in two influential lists, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Fabulous 22 and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Terrific 25. Such accolades cemented his reputation as a formidable defensive player, with ESPN ranking him the eighth-best player in Pennsylvania and the 26th overall defensive tackle nationwide.

After graduating from high school, Hinish committed to the University of Notre Dame. In 2017, he debuted on the Fighting Irish football team, appearing in 13 games and recording eight tackles. Throughout his sophomore year in 2018, he seized every opportunity, appearing in all 13 games and amassing an impressive record of 13 tackles alongside 1.5 sacks. In his subsequent year, Hinish started every game, showcasing impressive performance with 15 tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble.

In his senior year in 2020, Hinish continued his upward trajectory with 19 tackles, 7.5 tackles-for-loss, and two sacks in just 11 starts. The following year (2021) saw him named team captain. He further etched his name in the annals of Notre Dame football history by breaking the all-time record for the most games played by a Notre Dame player. His college career ended on an impressive note, marked by All-Conference honors, 61 games played with 35 starts, 81 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 20 tackles-for-loss, and one forced fumble.

Despite not being drafted in the 2022 NFL draft, Hinish was not disheartened. His undeterred passion for the sport led him to sign as an undrafted free agent with the Houston Texans, a move that would kickstart his professional athletic career. Although he was initially at the bottom of the depth chart, Hinish’s consistent commitment and performance earned him a spot on the first-team reps by the end of the preseason. He was one of the three undrafted rookies to win a place in the final roster.

During his rookie year, he marked his presence in 15 games and started in three of them. The season saw him pull impressive statistics, with one sack and 23 total tackles, 11 of which were solo. A high hit of his career came on August 27, 2024, when he was placed on injured reserve, temporarily putting him on the sidelines but not dampening his potential or the expectations for his comeback.