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After rushing for 1,016 yards and earning Pro Bowl honors for the second time in his career in 2024, Joe Mixon landed on the non-football injury list before 2025 started. His roster designation did not change throughout the regular season or postseason.
On Wednesday, Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio addressed Mixon’s status for the 2026 season, saying the running back continues to work through a “freak” foot injury.
“We haven’t seen Joe in a little while, so I think at some point we’ll see him and then we’ll be able to assess where he is and then, based on information, we’ll see where his status is,” Caserio said.
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Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (28) is shown with the ball during the first quarter, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
During last year’s training camp, the Texans announced that Mixon suffered a foot injury away from the facility in the offseason. The team was largely mum on the details of the running back’s recovery throughout the season.
Caserio gave a partial explanation Wednesday, stopping short of disclosing the injury.
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“It wasn’t like he was riding a snowmobile or anything like that,” Caserio said. “It was more of a medical condition or situation that never … really didn’t get better, maybe as much as everyone had hoped. I’m not trying to dodge the question, that’s the reality of the situation. He didn’t jump off a building. He didn’t cliff dive or anything. He didn’t do anything irresponsible. It was just a freak thing.”
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (28) scores a touchdown during the third quarter of an NFL football game on Dec. 1, 2024, at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida. (Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union)
The Texans reached the divisional round of the NFL playoffs for the third straight season, but five turnovers against the New England Patriots ultimately ended Houston’s hopes of advancing to the AFC Championship.
The Texans’ offense took a noticeable hit with Mixon out for the season due to the damage. Mixon has one year remaining on a three-year, $27 million contract extension he signed after joining the Texans after seven years with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (28) runs for a touchdown past Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs (7) during the first quarter at AT&T Stadium. (Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images)
Caserio said they were unsure of his status throughout the season but hoped he could return at some point.
“It was a very unique situation,” he said. “I don’t think anybody really had any clarity, honestly, from the start of the year until now. I would say Joe worked very, very hard to try to get ready to play football, it just never manifested, came to fruition. So probably have an opportunity to kind of see where he is in the offseason versus next year.”
With Mixon out this season, the Texans relied on rookie Woody Marks and veteran running back Nick Chubb. Marks, a fourth-round pick, led the team with 703 yards and Chubb added 506 yards.
When asked specifically if they believe Mixon’s condition will improve enough for him to be ready for the start of training camp, Caserio said it’s too early to tell.
“We’ll see. Trust me, I’m not smart enough to be a doctor, so I’ll leave that to the medical experts,” he said. “Once we … get a little bit more clarity, more information, we’ll kind of see where we’re at.”
