Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk could be part of additional scrutiny from the NFL in the coming days.
The Texans’ season is over after their loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC Divisional Playoffs. However, the league reviews every game from the previous week, every week, and the Texans’ tilt against the Patriots will not escape the same oversight.
Fortunately for Kirk and the Texans, the veteran wideout was on the right side of the ordeal.
Patriots’ Carlton Davis Facing Punishment Over Texans’ Christian Kirk
GettyChristian Kirk #13 of the Houston Texans carries the ball as Carlton Davis III #7 of the New England Patriots defends during the AFC Divisional Playoffs.
During the first quarter, with the Texans trailing 7-0, Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud found Kirk for a 10-yard gain to enter the red zone.
Patriots cornerback Carlton Davis tackled Kirk, putting a stop to the play. However, Davis grabbed Kirk’s facemask in the process, drawing a penalty that is typically worth 15 yards, but moved the ball to the 6-yard line, or, half the distance to the goal.
The Texans ultimately settled for a field goal, but Davis could hear from the NFL this week.
According to the NFL’s Accountability: Fines & Appeals site, face mask penalties can incur fines of up to $11,593 on first offenses and as much as $17,389 on second occurrences.
The NFL often fines players for infractions that went overlooked during the game. The fact that Davis was flagged could be a strong indication that a notice from the league could be coming this week.
Davis committed all three of the Patriots’ penalties on the day.
He was flagged for defensive pass interference twice; once in the second quarter and again in the third.
Overall, the game was clean from a penalty standpoint. There were seven called, but the Texans lost that in addition to the turnover battle. Even if the league fines Davis, it would not take away the sting of Sunday’s loss for Kirk and the Texans.
Kirk had a polarizing performance in the loss.
He caught 2 passes out of six targets against the Patriots, finishing with 20 yards. However, he also scored a touchdown.
It was a far cry from the 8-144-1 line on eight targets he had in the Texans’ Wild Card Round win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, Kirk and the Texans head into the offseason with plenty of questions to address.
Christian Kirk Facing Offseason of Uncertainty
GettyChristian Kirk #13 of the Houston Texans looks on before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Texans acquired Kirk in a trade with their AFC South rivals, the Jacksonville Jaguars, during the 2025 offseason. Kirk is on an expiring four-year, $72 million contract and will be a free agent this offseason.
It is unclear if the Texans have any interest in re-signing Kirk or if the former Arizona Cardinals second-round pick wants to return.
Kirk endured an injury-marred 2025 season that was on par with his career.
Moreover, the Texans drafted two wide receivers in 2024. One of them–Jaylin Noel–profiles as a potential slot option, with fellow rookie Jayden Higgins complementing Nico Collins outside. The Texans will also get Tank Dell, one of Stroud’s favorite targets, back next season.
That is a lot for Kirk to overcome logistically as the Texans seek ways to overcome what has become an annual occurrence after they fell to 0-7 in the Divisional Playoffs in franchise history.
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