While the Houston Texans are headed to the AFC Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs, one of their star players could be limited in Saturday’s showdown against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon dealt with an ankle issue throughout the week of practice and was a late addition to the injury report. He practiced sporadically on Wednesday and didn’t take the field during Thursday’s final walkthrough.
The do-it-all running back has been essential to Houston’s regular-season success en route to a second AFC South division title. The Texans already have dealt with plenty of issues at the receiver spot with season-ending injuries, only adding more to Mixon’s plate.
Right now, the Texans are being cautious with Mixon’s status. And while there is cause for concern, it would be fairly surprising if the running back was sidelined in a winner-take-all showdown.
Here’s the latest on Mixon ahead of the Texans’ departure Friday afternoon to Kansas City.
Joe Mixon injury update
Mixon is officially listed as questionable with an ankle injury for Saturday’s contest against Kansas City.
The ankle issue has been a lingering problem for Mixon throughout the year. After being brought down with an illegal hip-drop tackle in Week 2’s win over the Chicago Bears, he missed three games before returning in Week 6.
Against the Miami Dolphins in Week 15, Mixon was limited in the fourth quarter after being tackled while rolling over on his ankle. He didn’t leave the game, but his burst and acceleration were depleted.
Texans RB depth chart
Here’s a look at the Texans’ running back options should Mixon be sidelined or limited for Saturday’s showdown:
- Dameon Pierce
- Dare Ogunbowale
Joe Mixon stats
After being traded to Houston from the Cincinnati Bengals, Mixon has become the bell-cow back for the Texans’ offense. The veteran rushed for 1,016 yards off 245 carries for 11 touchdowns. He also added 36 receptions, 309 yards and a touchdown as a receiver.
Mixon became the sixth running back in franchise history to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season and the first since Carlos Hyde in 2019.
The former Oklahoma star also became the first Texans running back since Arian Foster in 2012 to rush for over 100 yards in a playoff game after his performance in a 32-12 win against the Chargers last weekend.