4 Houston Texans who won’t be back in 2025 after being Chiefs latest victim

On a day when the Houston Texans had the Kansas City Chiefs beat in virtually every box score statistic, they fell short. Not only did they lose, but it ended up being a two-score deficit. There's no way to sugarcoat it: That stings.

Houston converted more first downs than Kansas City, outgained them through the air and ground and held a near seven-minute time-of-possession advantage. Yet, the Chiefs will be headed to their seventh straight AFC Championship Game. Meanwhile, the Texans are sent packing in the Divisional Round for a second consecutive season.

The Texans put up an admirable fight, but penalties, a lack of pass protection, special teams blunders and red zone shortcomings cost them. While they did many good things, the mistakes were glaring and brutally timely, resulting in a 23-14 Chiefs victory.

After a gut-wrenching defeat, the Texans enter the 2025 offseason with more questions than answers. Moreover, they boast the NFL's ninth-highest payroll, so some difficult personnel decisions must be made. With that in mind, it's hard to envision these four franchise members returning to Houston next year.

4 Houston Texans who won’t be back in 2025 after being Chiefs latest victim

4. Ka'imi Fairbairn

Being a kicker is one of the most thankless jobs in football. One minute, you're a hero. The next, you're the town jester. Ka'imi Fairbairn was certainly the latter against Kansas City, starting with a 55-yard missed field goal that would've evened the score in the first half. And somehow, it only got worse from that point forward.

Fairbairn shanked an extra-point attempt to conclude a strong opening second-half touchdown drive by the Texans, squandering another opportunity to tie the game. His misfire ostensibly stuck in head coach DeMeco Ryans' dome. On Houston's ensuing offensive possession, they made a questionable decision to go for it on 4th-and-10 on the Kansas City 40-yard line, which failed miserably.

Then, to top it all off, Fairbairn had a fourth-quarter boot that would've made it a one-score ballgame blocked, effectively ending the contest. Talk about a rough day at the office.

Barely above league average in field goal percentage in 2024, Fairbairn is as good as gone following a brutal end to his already rough campaign.

3. Derek Barnett, DE

Despite operating as a rotational piece along Houston's defensive line, Derek Barnett had a breakout year. He'll presumably want a sizable pay raise when he hits free agency this March because of it. But given the Texans' salary cap situation, they conceivably won't be able to satisfy his demands, nor do they need to.

Between Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, Houston has arguably the league's best bookend pass-rushing duo. So, retaining Barnett isn't a priority. The Texans should allocate their finite financial resources accordingly, using that money to address other positional groups, like their shoddy offensive line.

Barnett amassed 26 tackles (four for loss), 5.0 sacks, and forced/recovered two fumbles (returning both for touchdowns) this season. He earned above-average overall, pass rush and run defense Pro Football Focus grades. Entering his age-29 campaign, someone will reward the former first-round pick, but it won't be the Texans.

2. Stefon Diggs, WR

Stefon Diggs recently shared video footage of his recovery from a non-contact torn ACL injury he suffered on Oct. 27. Albeit a brief clip, he looks to be progressing well and should be ready for 2025, barring any unforeseen setbacks. But notably, the veteran wide receiver voided the final three seasons of his contract upon arriving in Houston last offseason, complicating matters for both sides.

Diggs' decision was essentially a bet on himself, which backfired tremendously. He hoped to ball out and sign a new, more lucrative, long-term pact. Unfortunately, the 31-year-old's knee issue will damper his market. While that might improve the odds of a Texans reunion, it could also result in a stalemate.

As a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Diggs knows his worth. Before going down, he was a valuable and reliable target for Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. Even after getting hurt, why would you settle for a discount? The track record, pedigree and resume speak for themselves.

For whatever it's worth, Stroud expressed his desire to run it back with Diggs next season after the loss to the Chiefs. Will Houston appease its organizational centerpiece?

1. Bobby Slowik, Offensive Coordinator

From a year-over-year perspective, few coaches have seen their reputation tarnished more than Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. He burst onto the scene in his inaugural play-calling campaign in 2023. Nonetheless, his regression directly correlated with Houston's scoring decline this season.

The Texans went from a top-half-of-the-league offense last season to a below-average group this year. More specifically, their passing attack took a massive step back.

Slowik had Stroud playing at an MVP level in his rookie season. Houston ranked seventh in points per game, ninth in net yards per pass attempt and sixth in first downs by passing. This year, respectively, they were 21st, 23rd and 13th in the mentioned metrics. It was a steep fall from grace, with the former's woes being a critical factor.

An inability to make in-game adjustments, relentless commitment to the run and Stroud's eye-opening deterioration make Slowik a prime chopping block candidate. But oddly enough, his departure may not be because of his faults, considering he's still garnering head coaching interest.