Texans GM Gives Eerie Update on RB Joe Mixon's Injury

The Houston Texans have been without their starting running back from last season in Joe Mixon for the first five weeks of this NFL season on the non-footall injury list, as the veteran runner has been recovering from an offseason foot injury that's sidelined him since the beginning of OTAs.

In those five weeks without Mixon, the Texans' backfield has been led by a combination of veteran offseason addition Nick Chubb and rookie Woody Marks, both making a solid imprint on the offense during their reps thus far, but not quite the same run game Houston had last year led by their Pro Bowl back.

Now entering the Texans' Week 6 bye, general manager Nick Caserio issued an update on the health of Mixon and what a return may look like moving forward.

As of now, no return is imminent, but his status will become clearer in the next three to four weeks.

“Probably over the next few weeks, we'll probably have a better idea," Caserio said of Mixon's injury. "He’s making progress. I wouldn’t put a particular time table on it. Over the next three-to-four weeks probably get more information here, kind of see how he's progressing."

"Taking it one day at a time, but I think once we kind of get to that period, we'll probably have a better sense of which way it's going to go for the duration of the year."

It's not the clearest of updates on when the Texans will finally get their weapon back in the mix, but still seems to be an absence that will keep lingering for the foreseeable future, with an injury that could be season-long seemingly remaining in the cards.

Jan 11, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (28) scores a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers in the fourth quarter in an AFC wild card game at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | Thomas Shea-Imagn Images

Caserio's previous update on the Texans' running back came in August before the season started upon placing him on the PUP list. Ultimately, it came with no committment of whether Mixon would wind up playing this season at all.

"We'll see. We'll take it one day at a time," Caserio said on Mixon's injury. "We'll evaluate those players after four weeks and see where they are in their progression and then make a determination."

Fast forward four weeks, and there's still more time to go before Mixon's back to full health and lining up behind C.J. Stroud.

During the 14 games he suited up for last year, Mixon posted 1,016 total yards on the ground on 242 carries with 12 total touchdowns.

2024 marked only the third time in Mixon's career where he's logged over 1,000 rushing yards and 10+ touchdowns in a single season, making a strong impression on the Texans' offense within his first year in the building.

Time will tell if or when the Texans will get Mixon back on the offensive side of the ball this season, but until then, expect the duo of Chubb and Marks to continue holding the operation down.

Be sure to bookmark Houston Texans On SI and follow @TexansOnSI on X for daily Houston Texans news, interviews, breakdowns and more!