Joe Mixon won’t be suiting up for the Texans anytime soon. The veteran running back is expected to miss the majority of the preseason as he recovers from an offseason ankle injury, sources confirmed to ESPN.
The injury has kept Mixon off the field since the spring, sidelining him for both OTAs and minicamp. He officially landed on the non-football injury (NFI) list when training camp opened earlier this week.
It’s not the kind of start Houston was hoping for after Mixon’s strong 2024 campaign, where he topped 1,000 rushing yards and scored 11 touchdowns in his first season with the Texans. That performance earned him a Pro Bowl nod and helped solidify his role as the team’s lead back.
Nick Chubb, Woody Marks headline backup plan
Fortunately, Houston planned ahead. In the offseason, the team signed longtime Browns star Nick Chubb, a four-time Pro Bowler, and selected USC’s Woody Marks in the fourth round of the NFL Draft. Chubb, still easing back from his 2023 knee injury, gives the Texans a proven workhorse if he can stay healthy.
With Dameon Pierce also on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, the team’s depth chart is thin heading into the first preseason game against the Vikings on August 9. That leaves Marks and veteran Dare Ogunbowale as the primary backs expected to take reps in Mixon’s absence.
There’s no official timeline yet for Mixon’s return, but the team hopes to have him back closer to Week 1. Until then, Houston’s offense will be testing out its contingency plans-and hoping the injury bug doesn’t spread any further.
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