Texans won't see Joe Mixon return this season following updated injury reports.

Billy Heyen

•
Why Joe Mixon isn't coming back this season for Texans after updated injury news image

Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

TL;DR

  • Joe Mixon will not play for the Houston Texans in the 2025 season.
  • His absence is due to an offseason foot injury with unclear specifics.
  • The Texans have moved on, with Nick Chubb and Woody Marks in the backfield.
  • Mixon's contract with the Texans may be terminated by the team.

Joe Mixon had a brilliant 2024 season for the Houston Texans, the first NFL campaign he spent away from the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Texans' continued development around him suggested his encore performance would be thrilling in 2025.

Instead, Mixon won't play a single snap this season.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport posted on X on Thursday that Mixon isn't going to be taking the field for the Texans in 2025.

MORE: 3 major costs to the Buffalo Bills' whiffed draft pick of Keon Coleman

Why won't Joe Mixon return for the remainder of this season?

Mixon's absence stems from an offseason foot injury.

From the outset, it's been somewhat peculiar. The specifics of Mixon's foot injury were never very clear, and initially, it wasn't anticipated to result in such an extended period away.

As time progressed, Mixon was no longer a factor. The Texans made no mention of bringing him back.

Texans coach DeMeco Ryans had already spoken about Mixon in past terms, even just a few weeks into the season, stating, “We’re rolling with the guys that are here. That’s the main thing. 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.”

The Texans have been fine in the backfield with veteran Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks.

The Mixon absence has been more odd than anything else.

Mixon's contract with The Texans extends to 2026 with an $8 million salary, yet they possess the option to terminate the agreement for a mere $2 million in dead cap, a scenario that appears probable given current circumstances.

More NFL news:

Senior Editor