Ka’imi Fairbairn Bio
John Christian Kaʻiminoeauloamekaʻikeokekumupaʻa Fairbairn (born January 29, 1994) is an American professional football placekicker for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). Playing college football for the University of California, Los Angeles, Fairbairn was a consensus first-team All-American as a senior, when he was also awarded the Lou Groza Award as the nation’s top college kicker in 2015. After winning the kicking position as a true freshman, Fairbairn became the Pac-12 Conference record holder for the most career points scored. Undrafted out of college, he signed with Houston as a free agent in 2016 and was named their starting kicker the following year.
Early Life and Background
Fairbairn was born in Kailua, Hawaii, to John and Rochelle Fairbairn. Since he was a child, he has gone by the name Kaʻimi, forgoing John Christian. In Hawaiian, his name means ‘seeker of wisdom’. Fairbairn has expressed the significance of his name, stating, “The meaning of your name is your life. Hawaiians have a long ancestry. It’s really meaningful for me to go by my Hawaiian name.” As a young man, he was a kicker in football but preferred catching the football instead. He attended Punahou School in Honolulu, where he excelled in both football and soccer. As a central defender in soccer, he was a two-time first-team all-state player, and his team won two state championships. Initially, Fairbairn did not envision a future in football and tried out for water polo. After a near-drowning incident, he returned to football. By his sophomore year, he was named second-team all-state, and he earned first-team all-state honors as a junior and senior. Fairbairn was teammates with DeForest Buckner and was ranked nationally as the No. 4 recruit at kicker coming out of high school.
Path to American Football
Fairbairn won the kicking job at UCLA as a true freshman in 2012, becoming the first Bruin to score at least 100 points in each of his four seasons. His career began with some challenges, as his first two extra points were blocked against Rice. Despite a rocky start, he became a reliable kicker from close range, though he struggled with longer attempts. In the Pac-12 Conference Championship Game that year, he missed a 52-yard field goal with 30 seconds remaining in a close game against Stanford. In his junior year, he faced similar challenges, missing a 55-yard attempt as time expired against Utah, but was given another chance due to a penalty, which he narrowly missed as well. Entering the 2015 season, Fairbairn had a mixed record on field goals of 40 yards or more. However, he made significant strides that year, including a record-setting 60-yard field goal against California, marking the first 60-yard field goal in the Football Bowl Subdivision since 2012. He finished the regular season with an impressive 20 of 23 field goal attempts and was awarded the Lou Groza Award, recognizing him as the nation’s top college kicker.
Ka’imi Fairbairn Career
Early Career (2016-2017)
After going undrafted in 2016, Fairbairn signed with the Houston Texans. However, he spent his rookie year on injured reserve due to a quadriceps injury. In 2017, he was named the Texans’ starting kicker, having impressed coaches with his performance during the preseason. Fairbairn made a strong debut, converting 32 of 35 extra point attempts and 20 of 25 field goal attempts in his rookie season.
Breakthrough (2018)
Fairbairn’s breakout year came in 2018 when he led the NFL in points scored with 150 and field goals made with 37, setting a franchise record. He earned the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award after a standout performance against the New York Jets, where he kicked five field goals. The Texans finished the season with an 11-5 record and made the playoffs, although they lost in the Wild Card Round to the Indianapolis Colts. Fairbairn’s performance established him as one of the league’s top kickers.
Notable Works and Milestones
Fairbairn’s signature achievements include being named the NFL scoring leader in 2018 and winning the Lou Groza Award in 2015. He has set multiple franchise records for the Texans, including the longest field goal at 61 yards.
Ka’imi Fairbairn Award Nominations
Throughout his career, Fairbairn has received recognition for his performance, including several awards and honors related to his kicking abilities.
Ka’imi Fairbairn Awards Won
Fairbairn has won notable awards, including the Lou Groza Award in 2015, which is awarded to the nation’s top college kicker, and he was recognized as the NFL scoring leader in 2018. His achievements reflect his skill and consistency as a placekicker in the league.