LB Christian Kirksey reveals the most fun aspect of being with the Texans
Christian Kirksey is on his third team in as many seasons, but the 28-year-old has already identified the most fun part about joining the Houston Texans.
The former Cleveland Browns 2014 third-round pick from Iowa signed a one-year, $3 million contract to play for the Texans in 2021 after spending one year with the Green Bay Packers. Kirksey is already enjoying himself with the AFC South club.
“Man, just talking with the guys, just being back in the groove,” Kirksey told reporters on a Zoom call on May 27. “Obviously, you enjoy the offseason, you enjoy the time with your family, but then when you’re getting back on the field and joking around with your boys in the locker room, meeting new faces — there’s nothing better than that.”
Kirksey is part of a revamping among the linebacking corps as the defense transitions from a 3-4 scheme to a Tampa-2 scheme with a 4-3 front. The concept of inside linebackers in the 3-4, such as Zach Cunningham, are expanding outward among the linebacking unit, while the outside linebackers in the 3-4 scheme, such as Jacob Martin and Whitney Mercilus, are becoming down linemen firing off from a three-point stance.
The 29-year-old has the ability to complement Cunningham, and was adept with the Packers in 2020, providing 77 combined tackles, 2.0 sacks, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, two interceptions, and four pass breakups in 11 games, all of which he started.
Starting a new chapter with the Texans, Kirksey is focused on forging chemistry with his new teammates and getting on the same page as they work through organized team activities.
Said Kirksey: “Right now we’re working out, we’re trying to learn this playbook. Everybody is new, so I enjoy meeting new guys and kind of hearing their story, where they’re from, how did they get to where they are now and things like that. We’re all competing and we’re all just trying to be the best Texans we can be. That’s the fun part in it, when everybody’s trying to push each other to go somewhere and we all come from different places and we’re all trying to get to one goal. I think that’s the most fun part for me, is just to be back around the guys.”
The Texans also have Cunningham, Kamu Grugier-Hill, Nate Hall, Neville Hewitt, Hardy Nickerson, Kevin Pierre-Louis, fifth-round rookie Garret Wallow, Joe Thomas, and Tae Davis among the linebacking corps.
