Joe Mixon injury: Texans to open season without star running back

The Houston Texans are hoping to build off two consecutive playoff appearances and make a deeper postseason run this year.

But they will open the 2025 campaign without star running back Joe Mixon.

The team will not activate Mixon from the non-football injury ahead of Tuesday’s 4:00 p.m. deadline, meaning the running back will be sidelined for at least the first four weeks of the 2025 season. Mixon is recovering from an ankle injury that he suffered during the offseason, while away from team activities. He did not participate in OTAs this offseason, nor did he practice during minicamp. His last activities with the team came during Houston’s Divisional Round loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs.

The Texans added to the running back room this offseason, signing Nick Chubb and drafting Woody Marks out of USC during the third day of the 2025 NFL Draft.

In his first year with the Texans last season, Mixon ran for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Under NFL rules, the earliest that Mixon can return is Week 5. Houston opens the year on the road against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1. The Texans host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, travel to Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars in Week 3, and come back home for a Week 4 tilt against the Tennessee Titans.

If Mixon can return for Week 5, he would make his debut in a highly anticipated game against the Baltimore Ravens.