Joe Mixon was an integral piece of the Houston Texans’ offense in 2024 but has not played at all in 2025 due to a foot injury. There has been very little information out about the injury, making the exact timeline murky.
However, after recent news surfaced that Mixon would miss the remainder of the 2025 season, he took to social media to dispute the claim.
Joe Mixon Pushes Back on Report Saying He Won’t Play in 2025
NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport reported on Thursday that “Joe Mixon is not expected to play this season as he deals with a foot injury from the offseason.”
Many have expected this to be the case for some time, as there have been very few updates on Mixon’s status, and even when updates were provided, they were vague and did not include a timeline for return.
However, Mixon himself pushed back on Rapoport’s report. “Now, I get everyone’s looking for splash news & clickbait . . . but I’m just curious, Ian how do you know more about me than me?” said Mixon.
Now, I get everyone’s looking for splash news & clickbait… but I’m just curious, Ian how do you know more about me than me? 🤔
@peterjschaffer get yo mans bro. https://t.co/5G6e6rWtAT
— ⚡️Primetime!!!⚡️ (@Joe_MainMixon) November 20, 2025
Following Mixon’s comments, the situation remains unclear, with his statement contradicting those of NFL insiders. Clearly, Mixon still wants to play football, as evidenced by his comments. However, until an official designation is made, it is impossible to know if he is ruled out for the 2025 season or if there is still a glimmer of hope for a return.
“If Mixon cannot play at all in 2025, it’s fair to wonder whether we’ve already seen the last of him in the NFL . . .Houston signed Mixon to a two-year extension shortly after trading a seventh-round pick to the Bengals for the running back in March of 2024, setting up what should have been a multi-year partnership intended to provide Stroud with a reliable weapon in the running and passing game,” said Rapoport.
Mixon is 29 years old and has accumulated a significant amount of wear and tear on his body throughout his NFL career. He has 1,816 carries in his career, while also catching 319 passes. The former Oklahoma star has been effective throughout his career, proving capable of handling a large workload, but has struggled at times with efficiency.
Entering his age-30 season in 2026, Rapoport’s concerns about Mixon’s future are hard to ignore, particularly with the trend of short shelf lives for many NFL running backs.
How Houston is Replacing Mixon
In Mixon’s absence, Woody Marks, Nick Chubb, Dare Ogunbowale, and Dameon Pierce have picked up the slack for Houston. However, Pierce was waived on Thursday, Ogunbowale has only registered three carries on the season, and Chubb is only on a one-year contract with the team.
Marks appears to be the only potential long-term option on the roster, and while he has shown flashes as a rookie, he has not established himself as a locked-in long-term starter yet. Marks ranks as the No. 40 running back in PFSN’s RB Impact score with a grade of 66.2 (D). In his defense, the Texans’ offensive line has struggled once again in 2025, making life difficult for the rookie running back on the ground, as they rank 29th in yards per rush.
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If he can continue to show flashes over the remainder of the 2025 season, Marks could work himself into a role in the offense in 2026. Otherwise, the Texans could look to free agency or the NFL Draft to potentially add a replacement or a complementary piece in the backfield.
When Mixon returns, if at all, remains to be seen, but his situation will be worth monitoring as new information comes to light. In the meantime, the Texans and Marks will look to stay afloat in the AFC playoff picture and potentially make a late-season wild-card push.
