[3] After being elevated to the active roster on September 22,[4] he made the first defensive start of his NFL career on Sunday Night Football in Week 10 against the division rival New York Jets.
[6] It would be revealed years later that injury was in fact a cerebral cavernous malformation that required brain surgery.
After spending time on the Carolina Panther's practice squad, the Houston Texans signed Tarpinian to their active roster in October 2013.
[8] Tarpinian would return to the Texans in 2014, reuniting him with former Patriots Offensive Coordinator Bill O'Brien, who was hired that offseason as head coach.
Tarpinian was released by the Texans in September 2015 before their final preseason game and became an unrestricted free agent.