Texans’ DeMeco Ryans Raises Eyebrows With Joe Mixon Update

So far, leading up to the 2025 NFL season, the Houston Texans haven't seen much from veteran running back Joe Mixon as he's been sidelined with a lingering foot injury.

Mixon, who sat out of the action earlier this offseason in OTAs and minicamps, as well as their three preseason games, has some glaring concerns about what a potential return may look like. KPRC2's Aaron Wilson reported earlier in the month that it wasn't a lock that he'd be ready to go for Week 1 of the season, and thus, could make Houston's rushing attack a giant question mark before the year kicks off.

Thankfully, the Texans did manage to bring in some other backs in the room next to Mixon this offseason to add more depth in the backfield. Veteran Nick Chubb was added aboard from the Cleveland Browns, while fourth-round rookie Woody Marks will be in the mix too.

Not only does that depth allow Houston a plan B in the event Mixon does miss time in the regular season, but it also brings in worthwhile talent behind Mixon to help distribute that work in the backfield when he's back in action.

And for head coach DeMeco Ryans, he's seemingly excited to utilize that depth in the running back room, which can ultimately help the Texans "get through the season."

"Very deep running back room," Ryans said of the Texans' backfield. "A lot of players that can provide a ton of depth and guys who can get us through the season."

#Texans coach DeMeco Ryans on how it might look with Joe Mixon and Nick Chubb as a tandem when Mixon is back: 'Very deep running back room. Lot of players that can provide a ton of depth and guys who can get us through the season.'
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 25, 2025

Now, that's certainly an eye-catching comment coming from Ryans when factoring in the pending status of Mixon. The Texans' veteran runner was far and away the lead man in Houston's backfield last year, handling a staggering 245 carries, 200+ more carries than the next closest backs in Dameon Pierce and Cam Akers, who each logged 40 apiece.

Fast forward to this season, and now Ryans is harping on the depth of Houston's backfield, and has yet to give a concrete timeline on when Mixon could expect to be back in the fold. That definitely should turn some heads.

Clearly, Ryans is confident in the damage the Texans can do in the run game with the names they'll have down the depth chart, but that status surrounding Mixon and his availability next season still looks pretty cloudy.

Jan 11, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (28) reacts after the game against the Los Angeles Chargers in an AFC wild card game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Mixon will have just under two weeks to get prepared for the Texans' Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on September 7th. Time will tell if the two-time Pro Bowler can make it happen.

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