Texans Ex Christian Kirksey Praised Upon Retirement: 'He Helped Me A Lot'
HOUSTON — Christian Kirksey hung up his cleats for the final time Thursday morning. The 31-year-old veteran linebacker called it a career after a short stint with the Buffalo Bills. He signed with the Bills' practice squad after failing to make the Houston Texans' 53-man roster in August.
Kirksey's departure from Houston did not come as a surprise. He missed nearly all of training camp and preseason due to a hamstring injury. And given the emergence of linebackers Blake Cashman and Henry To'oTo'o, Kirksey became expendable.
Kirksey was a staple of the Texans rebuild since he signed with the franchise in March 2021. His most significant contributions came due to the veteran leadership he provided to Houston's locker room — most notably to linebacker Christian Harris.
"He has helped me a lot in nearly every area of my game," Harris exclusively told Texans Daily. "He put a lot of things into perspective for me. To hear it from an older guy who has achieved so much in this league, I appreciate all the advice he has shared with me."
Harris was a rookie during Kirksey's final season with the Texans. And throughout the 2022 campaign, Kirksey took pride in helping Harris get accustomed to the NFL.
Christian Kirksey (58) reacts after a play during the game against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium.
Harris credits Kirksey for helping slow the game down while learning how to trust his instincts. The two respective parties have not been teammates for nearly a month. But Harris said Kirksey still shares advice.
Keeping the game simple is the most noteworthy tip Harris received from the nine-year veteran. In January, a day after the Texans' season finale against the Indianapolis Colts, Kirksey described Harris as an intelligent player whose work ethic will lead to a long career.
"It was crazy when I found out he was retiring," Harris said. "He has played nine years in the league going on 10. That's a dream within itself to be able to play for that long. But I am excited for him because now, he gets to spend more time with his family."
During his two-year run in Houston, Kirksey started 29 out of 30 games and recorded 217 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss, nine quarterback hits, 3.0 sacks and three interceptions.
Kirksey was a team captain for the Texans in 2022 and Houston's nominee for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.
He was a third-round pick in 2014 for the Cleveland Browns. Kirksey played his first six years in Cleveland before joining the Green Bay Packers in 2020.
