Texans Lose Another DL to Season-Ending Injury

Less than two weeks after losing Tim Sette Jr. with a season-ending injury, the Houston Texans have lost another defensive lineman upfront for the year.

According to Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans, defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr. has ruptured his pec, and will be out for the remainder of the season.

"Unfortunately, Mario Edwards will be out for the season. He ruptured his pec, so he'll be out for the season," Ryans said after the Texans' win vs. the Cardinals, per KPRC2's Aaron Wilson.

"Mario's done a great job for us all year. Steady player, consistent, and brings great energy to our entire team. So, really going to miss his presence. He can fly around on game day, and he runs to the football. Great effort, intent, and really love what he brought to our unit."

"We lost [Tim] Settle, losing Mario. It's going to be difficult to replace those guys,"

DeMeco Ryans on season ending pec injury for Mario Edwards Jr. @KPRC2 https://t.co/0qsBHb1Cgv pic.twitter.com/FymstGkJ2q
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) December 15, 2025

Texans Lose DT Mario Edwards for Season

Edwards, who's now in his second season with the Texans since arriving in 2024, has been a consistent depth piece for Houston's front seven, having appeared in all 14 games of the year.

In those showings, Edwards had 1.5 sacks, 13 combined tackles, and two tackles for loss. But now, his 11th-career year in the league will be cut prematurely, and leaves the Texans' defense tasked with replacing yet another player on the interior of their defensive line at a critical point in the season

Nov 16, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Houston Texans defensive tackle Mario Edwards Jr. (97) tackles Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears (2) for a loss during the first half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

What happens next for the Texans? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Texans news delivered to your inbox daily!

While Houston's pass rush still remains at the top of the league, a strong defensive interior has also been a big help to stop the run on a consistent basis— and will now see the depth of this roster tested in the final weeks of the regular season and any postseason run.

Sheldon Rankins will now elevate to the top defensive tackle in the room for Houston, while Tommy Togiai is also likely to find an increase in his opportunities moving forward, who's started the past three games on the Texans' defense after seeing his snap count gradually increase throughout the season.

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