Joe Mixon’s Injury Status Raises Concerns for Texans

HOUSTON, Texas — The uncertainty surrounding Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon is escalating as the team enters Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season. Mixon, who was the Texans’ leading rusher last season, is currently sidelined due to a non-football-related ankle injury that has kept him off the field since the offseason.

General manager Nick Caserio confirmed that Mixon will remain on the non-football injury (NFI) list, which forces him to miss at least the first four games of the season. In a recent comment, Caserio stated, “We’ll see. We’ll take it one day at a time,” leaving fans and analysts questioning the star’s potential return.

Last season, Mixon amassed 1,016 rushing yards and 309 receiving yards, making him a crucial component of the Texans’ offense. The team is concerned that he might be out for a longer duration, potentially affecting their playoff aspirations.

In Mixon’s absence, veteran running back Nick Chubb has taken on a larger role, contributing with 103 yards and one touchdown on 25 carries over the first two games. Rookie Woody Marks also had a notable performance in Week 2, totaling 14 yards on three carries and 37 receiving yards.

Head coach DeMeco Ryans expressed the team’s feelings about Mixon: “We miss Joe, miss his energy, and his enthusiasm and everything he brought to our team. We continue to press forward and hope he’s doing well.”

As the Texans prepare to tackle their upcoming matchups, they face an uphill battle without their lead rusher. With Houston’s bye week set for Week 6, the earliest Mixon could return would be Week 7, but that remains optimistic at this stage.

In summary, Mixon’s recovery timeline is uncertain, and the Texans will have to strategize their offense without him for the foreseeable future, putting more pressure on Chubb and the rookie corps.