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Joe Mixon #28 of the Houston Texans is introduced before facing the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC Wild Card Playoffs.
The Houston Texans have missed Joe Mixon this season, as their 22nd-place ranking shows, and the lack of information from the team has not helped. However, Mixon has maintained a presence in various forms and fashions, including most recently with one of his teammates.
Mixon is in Year 2 with the Texans, and he is signed through 2026 on a three-year, $19.7 million contract following a $27 million extension signed in March 2024.
What happens next for Mixon remains up in the air.
Joe Mixon Makes ‘Rare’ Appearance
GettyJoe Mixon #28 of the Houston Texans looks on after facing the Los Angles Chargers in the AFC Wild Card Playoffs.
Mixon has been sidelined with a foot injury that has him on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) list without a timeline to return to action for the Texans. That includes the rest of the 2025 regular season. That made his latest appearance stand out that much more.
“A rare Joe Mixon sighting,” Texans reporter Chancellor Johnson posted on X on November 13. “He recently attended a private event with Tank Dell.”
“Looks like the Texans running back also cut his hair.”
Dell, a third-round pick by the Texans in the 2023 draft, is also sidelined, on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list as he recovers from a significant knee injury suffered last season.
Neither player has shown any signs that they are any closer to returning. However, Mixon’s future with the Texans has been a focus amid his absence from the field.
Texans ‘Miss’ Joe Mixon Amid Uncertain Future
Mixon rushed for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2024, adding a 43-194-2 line for the Texans during the playoffs. He is also a threat in the passing game, tacking on 39 receptions for 334 yards and 1 TD last season between the regular and postseasons.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans spoke about missing Mixon for more than just his on-field presence.
However, he also made it clear where his (Ryans’) focus was.
“We’re rolling with the guys that are here. That’s the main thing,” Ryans said in September. “We miss Joe. Miss his energy and his enthusiasm, and everything that he brought to our team. But we continue to press forward. Hope he’s doing well.”
Texans general manager Nick Caserio set a timeline for more information to be provided that has since come and gone.
“I think over the next few, three, four weeks, probably get a little more information here. Kind of see how he’s progressing,” Caserio told Texans beat reporters on October 7. “Taking one day at a time. But I think once we kind of get to that period, probably have a better sense of which way it’s going to go for the duration of the year.”
Joe Mixon’s Contract Looms Large
The Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan M. Alexander offered his take on Mixon’s future with the Texans, which is clouded by financial factors. Alexander called Mixon a “difference-maker” who should be back in 2026 if healthy.
He also said Mixon, again, when healthy, is one of the Texans’ “best playmakers and a team leader.”
Mixon’s health remains a significant caveat amid his history of foot and leg issues.
“If he’s not [healthy], I’d imagine general manager Nick Caserio would consider moving on from him to save money,” Alexander wrote on November 12. “Releasing him could save them $8.5 million for the 2026 season, according to Over the Cap. None of his 2026 salary is guaranteed.”
Mixon has remained engaged in what the Texans have going on on the field as well as off of it, but his absence continues to be a hindrance as much as it is a source of intrigue.
Josh Buckhalter covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He has covered both leagues since 2016, including bylines at FanSided, Last Word on Sports and Clocker Sports. He’s based in Villa Park, Illinois. Follow Josh on Twitter and Instagram: @JoshGBuck More about Josh Buckhalter
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