While he was still able to cross the 1,000-yard mark last season, injuries slowed Houston Texans wide receiver, causing him to miss five games. He bounced back nicely in 2025, playing in 15 games for the Texans while continuing to excel in his role as Houston’s leading wide receiver.
After getting some rest in Week 18 with Houston’s Wild Card spot secured, Collins was ready to come back after dealing with a minor knee injury late in the season. However, he got off to a slow start against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the final game of Wild Card Weekend, and also suffered another injury.
What Happened to Houston Texans WR Nico Collins?
The Texans’ top receiver went down with a head injury late in the third quarter. On the first play of the Texans’ last drive of the third quarter, Stroud targeted Collins for about a ten-yard pass. While Collins wasn’t able to bring it in, he landed directly on his head and immediately grabbed at his facemask before going into a brief fencing position.
He was down for a while and was able to come off the field under his own power, but was hunched over on the sideline for quite some time before making his way to the blue medical tent to be evaluated for a concussion, according to the ESPN broadcast.
It wouldn’t be long before he was shown being carted to the locker room for further evaluation. Houston reported he was being evaluated for a concussion and was questionable to return.
Nico Collins is hurt.
He took a hard fall, head hit right on the ground, he has left the game.
Not good 💔 pic.twitter.com/C9XrAO9Y77
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) January 13, 2026
According to Warren Sharp, Collins also suffered a concussion in Week 7 and did not play in Week 8. If the Texans advance, it will be highly unlikely that their star receiver will be available to play in the Divisional Round against the Patriots.
While Collins had been playing through a minor knee injury at the end of the season, he did get Week 18 off against the Indianapolis Colts for load management to ensure he was as healthy as possible for the postseason.
The Pro Bowl wide receiver got off to a slow start against the Steelers during their Wild Card matchup. Quarterback C.J. Stroud has targeted the WR1 seven times, with Collins catching three for 21 yards.
.@ShariffLawFirm Texans Injury Update:
#12 WR Nico Collins is being evaluated for a concussion and questionable to return.
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) January 13, 2026
Collins saw his performance drop slightly from 2024 to 2025, as his impact score in PFSN’s WR Impact Metric dropped from 89.5 to 83.1, along with his ranking going from fifth in the league last season to 12th in 2025.
While he was able to maintain his streak despite missing five games in 2024, Collins kept his streak of 1,000-yard seasons alive in 2025, catching 71 of 120 targets for 1,117 yards and six touchdowns. His chemistry with Stroud has been undeniable, as the duo has thrived over the past few seasons.
While the offense has struggled to get much going against the Steelers, the Texans still hold a 16-6 lead with the fourth quarter winding down. While many were expecting the Texans’ second-ranked defense, according to PFSN’s Defense Impact Metric, to be an unstoppable force, Pittsburgh’s 16th-ranked unit has also been dominant.
Despite Collins’ slow start, that void has been filled by offseason addition Christian Kirk, who’s hauled in four passes for 51 yards and a touchdown.
The defense has done its job, but the offense scoring more points would go a long way for Houston to win this game with relative ease and prepare for a matchup against the New England Patriots.
