The Houston Texans made Joe Mixon the focal point of their offense last season, but the star running back has been sidelined with a foot injury this year. Unfortunately, there has been nothing to suggest that his status is going to change in 2025.
Mixon was placed on the Reserve/Non-Football injury list prior to the season. That ruled him out for at least the first four games of the year, but he has not resumed practicing ahead of Week 5. The two-time Pro Bowl back dealt with foot injuries last season and reportedly suffered another one while away from the Texans over the summer.
Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle was asked about Mixon’s injury in the reporter’s latest mailbag column, which was published on Wednesday. Alexander said he has been led to believe that Mixon has “a very serious injury either to his foot or ankle.”
“One league source I spoke to a month ago had doubts about whether he’ll return this season. And those doubts have not changed,” Alexander wrote. “There was a glimmer of hope that his foot would respond to treatment and change the prognosis.
“Of all the people I’ve spoken with about this, there is no one who has told me they expect him to return this season. And if he was, someone would tell me.”
Mixon rushed for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns in 14 games last season. He also scored two touchdowns in the postseason, despite playing through the foot issue for some of the year. His lingering injuries were a big source of frustration for him in 2024.
The Texans signed Nick Chubb during the offseason, and the has averaged a decent 4.0 yards per carry. Rookie fourth-round pick Woody Marks had a strong game in Houston’s Week 4 win over the Tennessee Titans with more than 100 total yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns.
Barring an unexpected change, it does not sound like Mixon is going to play at all this season.
