Christian Kirksey is entering his eighth NFL season and his seventh preseason when the Houston Texans take on the Green Bay Packers Saturday night at Lambeau Field.
For the former Cleveland Brown and Packer, Kirksey still relishes getting preseason snaps, even if they are limited and the outcome of the game doesn’t count.
“When you have a long training camp, going up against the same guys, especially the teammates, you want to go out and compete with other guys around the league,” Kirksey said. “Keeping score, whenever you’re keeping score, it’s always going out to try to win. It’s always exciting for the preseason.”
Kirksey collected 77 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, 2.0 sacks, two interceptions, and four pass breakups through 11 games, all of which he started in his lone season in Green Bay last year.
Preseason affords veterans, including Kirksey, the chance to prepare for an actual game, which is beneficial because success at the pro level is in the preparation.
“\You’re sharpening up your tools and seeing what you got and putting everything together and actually going out and showcasing it and seeing where you are as a team,” said Kirksey.
The last time Kirksey played in the preseason was in 2019 when there were four games. The NFL reduced the number to just three for 2021, but the number of contests isn’t as significant to Kirksey as it is the quality of work on the field.
Said Kirksey: “Me personally, I look at it the same way, whether it’s three or four. It’s all the same approach. I don’t think it’s more valuable or less valuable. It’s just another game to go out there and fine tune everything and get ready for the regular season.”
The Texans will also see the Dallas Cowboys and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in this year’s three-game preseason slate.
