HOUSTON – The Texans bolstered their depth on the defensive line Tuesday, activating defensive tackle Kurt Hinish after he was designated to return from injured reserve.
The Texans needed another defensive tackle with Mario Edwards Jr. suspended for the next four games for a substance-abuse violation.
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Hinish is completely healthy after recovering from a calf strain that sidelined him for the first six games and has fresh legs heading into Sunday’s road game against the Green Bay Packers.
In 15 games and three starts as an undrafted rookie from Notre Dame, Hinish was an effective interior player. He had 23 tackles, six for losses and two quarterback hits with one sack. He played 435 defensive snaps, 42 percent of the overall defensive playing time last season.
Hinish embodies his gritty Pittsburgh roots.
Growing up in a hard-nosed town built through the steel industry, Hinish learned the importance of a blue-collar work ethic and toughness from his parents.
His father, Kurt, is a construction worker who’s a seven-time colon cancer survivor. His mother, Tawnie, is a career school teacher who specializes in computers.
The example his parents set, including the occasional salty words from his father, all stuck with Hinish.
From earning a scholarship to Notre Dame after convincing a Pittsburgh Central Catholic teammate to pass on his highlight tape to the Fighting Irish recruiting coordinator to making the Texans’ roster as an undrafted rookie free agent, Hinish keeps battled and winning.
“I come from a place where it’s all about hard work and toughness,” Hinish said in a previous interview. “That’s what I’m all about. That’s what my parents taught me. They taught me to fight for what you want in life. You never give up.”
The example of his father resonates strongly with Hinish. He watched his father never relent in his decade-long fight with cancer, and soaked up wisdom about life. Hinish’s father had him Kurt Hinish and his younger brother, Donovan Hinish, a Notre Dame defensive tackle, doing lunges with 100-pound blocks. Hinish’s father would frequently lift weights after working a construction shift while undergoing cancer treatment.
“It’s incredible,” Hinish said. “The mental fortitude, I will never give up. That’s what he’s instilled in me from a young age.”
At Notre Dame, Hinish became known for his determination and resourceful nature in the trenches.
He smeared eye black on his face, creating a brand as an intimidating character on the field. It became his trademark.
All of that hard work paid dividends for Hinish. Hinish plays the game with relentless hustle.
“I know I’m undersized for my position but I’m going to show up and punch you in the face every single snap from start to finish,” Hinish said. “That’s the way I am, that’s the way I’ve always been and how I’m going to be. Just manning the middle, we always joke around and call it the jungle. If you’re going to be in the jungle, you’ve got to be a bad dude. You’ve got to show up and bring it every single snap. Every snap could be your last and you’ve got to treat it as such.”
No one played in more career games in Notre Dame history than Hinish, appearing in 61 games with 35 starts and recording 81 tackles, 20 for losses, 7 1/2 sacks and a forced fumble. A former All-Atlantic Coast Conference honorable-mention selection, Hinish ran the 40-yard dash in 4.96 seconds and bench pressed 225 pounds 31 times at the NFL scouting combine.
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com
