The Houston Texans entered the 2025-26 season with championship aspirations, especially after their Divisional Round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs ended their promising 2024-25 campaign. Joe Mixon was supposed to be the cornerstone of those ambitions, but instead of leading Houston’s ground attack, the veteran running back hasn’t stepped on the field once this season.
What Happened to Joe Mixon’s 2025-26 Season?
The 29-year-old back suffered what the organization has only described as a “non-football injury” during the offseason, specifically involving his ankle. The Texans have kept the details under wraps, but the injury was severe enough to sideline him throughout training camp and the entire preseason.
After delivering a Pro Bowl performance in 2024-25 with 1,016 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, Mixon was expected to anchor Houston’s rushing attack once again.
Houston placed Mixon on the Non-Football Injury (NFI) list to start the 2025-26 season, guaranteeing he’ll miss at least the first four games. With the Texans enjoying a bye in Week 6, the earliest realistic return date would be Week 5 against the Ravens. However, that timeline appears increasingly optimistic given recent developments.
Adding to the uncertainty, Jeff Mueller, a doctor of physical therapy and fantasy football injury analyst, made waves when he completely removed Mixon from his draft boards this season.
Mueller stated he received concerning information from multiple sources, leading to widespread speculation that the running back’s situation may be more serious than Houston has publicly acknowledged.
Why Are DeMeco Ryans’ Comments Raising Red Flags?
Head coach DeMeco Ryans inadvertently added another layer of concern following Houston’s Week 1 loss to the Rams. While attempting to project confidence about the team’s depth, his word choice caught attention across social media and fantasy football circles.
“We’re rolling with the guys that are here. That’s the main thing,” Ryans explained. “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.”
DeMeco Ryans used past tense when talking about Joe Mixon ☹️
“Everything he brought to our team”
pic.twitter.com/NXTVRvOKoa
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) September 12, 2025
The past-tense phrasing, “everything he brought to our team,” struck many observers as ominous. While Ryans likely intended the comment as a respectful acknowledgment of Mixon’s contributions, the language suggested Houston might be preparing for an extended absence, or worse, a season-ending situation.
General manager Nick Caserio has been similarly evasive when pressed about Mixon’s availability. When asked directly if Mixon would play at all during the 2025-26 season, Caserio offered only a noncommittal response: “We’ll see. We’ll take it one day at a time. We’ll evaluate those players after four weeks and see where they are in their progression and then make a determination.”
For now, Houston will lean heavily on Nick Chubb, Dameon Pierce, and rookie Woody Marks to fill the void left by their missing star. The transition became glaringly obvious during the Texans’ season-opening 14-9 loss to Los Angeles, where the offense struggled to establish any rhythm without their primary ball carrier.
The absence of Mixon’s production, 1,325 scrimmage yards, and 12 total touchdowns during the regular season, plus his playoff contributions of 194 rushing yards in two games, creates a significant hole in Houston’s championship aspirations.
Whether the next-man-up approach can bridge that gap may ultimately determine how far the Texans can advance in 2025-26.
