When it matters most, missing matters most. Pressure either makes diamonds. Or it exposes cracks. Texans kicker Kaimi Fairbairn is known for his reliable leg. He had been a clutch player for Houston throughout the season. But on Saturday, when it really mattered, he fell short. With it the Texans’ post-season campaign. In the end, Fairbairn’s mistakes in the AFC Divisional Round against the Chiefs became a bitter talking point.

The Texans lost 23-14. And Fairbairn’s three missed kicks contributed a great deal to their heartbreak. He started with a shanked 55-yard attempt in the second quarter. This was followed by a missed PAT after Joe Mixon’s touchdown that could have tied the game. But this was not the end of the Texans’ horrors. To cap it off, Fairbairn’s 35-yard field goal attempt in the final minutes was blocked. Those seven points left on the field were momentum killers.

Fairbairn’s stats this season had been stellar. He converted 36-of-42 FGs with a longest of 59 yards. And he missed only two PATs. Yet his performance unraveled in a high-stakes game where every point mattered. The heartbreak could be heard in coach DeMeco Ryans’s words post-game. “We had a lot of self-inflicted mistakes that happened, whether it was special teams not converting, defensively not being where we’re supposed to be in coverage, offensively not protecting our quarterback and keeping him clean,” Ryans said. His words were measured. But his disappointment was obvious.

The missed PAT was particularly crushing. A touchdown following an 82-yard drive gave them the chance to tie the game late in the third quarter. But Fairbairn’s wide-right kick kept Kansas City ahead. Their fans fed off the change in energy. Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce marched the Chiefs down the field for another score on the very next possession. It felt like game over with over 11 minutes on the clock.

The pressure on Kaimi Fairbairn only grew as Houston’s playoff hopes dwindled. His blocked kick in the fourth quarter only made him look worse. And it allowed Kansas City to advance to their seventh straight AFC title game. The fans didn’t keep mum.

Fans call out Fairbairn in fiery reactions

The loss stung. It stung pretty hard, and fans couldn’t hold back their frustrations. Social media buzzed with criticism of Fairbairn. One fan on X vented, “Fairbairn the best kicker all year and having the worst game ever when it matters…… I mean that’s tough.” Others were harsher.

“Fairbairn is a f***ing clown lol,” wrote one fan. Another fumed, “Fairbairn out of a job tomorrow.” The plot for criticism thickened. As usual, hyperbole entered the picture and a frustrated fan tweeted, “Fairbairn needs to be executed via firing squad for this play.” That’s not just harsh. That’s brutal. The outrage reflected Houston’s disappointment after falling short yet again. The 22-year-old franchise has now lost all six divisional round games it has played.

Fairbairn’s struggles overshadowed his otherwise solid season. One fan was less critical and more pragmatic. But even they couldn’t help but acknowledge the shortcomings. “Fairbairn was horrible this game. Might’ve lost the Texans this game tbh,” they wrote. Meanwhile, some placed blame elsewhere. They suggested the Texans’ offensive line and play-calling also fell short.

Still, Fairbairn’s misfires stood out. It was a game where every mistake snowballed. And his low kicks and missed opportunities left Houston unable to match Kansas City’s clinical execution. Fairbairn’s future in Houston is now under question. One bad game doesn’t erase a good season. But fans’ reactions signal an uphill battle for redemption.

Questions remain as the Texans regroup. Can they bolster their roster to avoid relying on razor-thin margins? And will Kaimi Fairbairn recover, or has his reliability been overshadowed by one bad day on the big stage? For now, his legacy is tied to missed opportunities—and the Texans’ playoff heartbreak.