(SportsRadio 610) - Veteran linebacker Christian Kirksey is returning to the Texans after agreeing to a two-year extension, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler first reported Friday.
Kirksey is considered one of the leaders for Lovie Smith's 4-3 defense, which emphasizes linebacker as the brains of the operation.
That's the role Kirksey played for Houston last season, when he posted a career-high eight pass deflections in 13 games (12 starts) and his most tackles since 2017 (93).
Kirksey was a third-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2014 and spent his first six NFL seasons there before joining the Green Bay Packers in 2020.
He signed a one-year, $4.5 million contract with the Texans last offseason. Details of Kirksey's new deal were not immediately clear.
After the Texans finished 4-13 last season, but long before Smith was elevated from coordinator to head coach, Kirksey talked about the importance of this defense staying true to its identity.
“For the guys who are sticking around, I think we’re starting to find our identity of who we are, who we can be," Kirksey said. "I think that guys are bought in to being here and we want to bring winning football to Houston. We’ll see where it goes."