Injuries are an inevitable part of football, one of the most physical and demanding sports in the world. The toll it takes on a player’s body is immense, requiring constant conditioning and meticulous care just to stay on the field. While some injuries are minor and heal relatively quickly, others, like ACL or MCL tears, can derail a player’s momentum and sideline them for months. Certain positions absorb more punishment than others, and running backs often bear the brunt of that physicality.
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Some players just can’t catch a break when it comes to staying healthy. Fortunately for Joe Mixon, despite playing one of the most punishing positions in football, he’s managed to avoid extended time on the sidelines. Still, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t dealt with his fair share of injuries.
Joe Mixon has been in the league since 2017, and while he’s managed to avoid the injury bug more than most running backs, his career hasn’t been entirely without setbacks.
In his rookie year, as per Draft Sharks, Mixon suffered a Grade 2 concussion during a game against the Steelers, forcing him to miss two games in December. Later that season, in Week 16, he left the field early with a Grade 1 ankle sprain, but fortunately suited up the following week.
His second season began with a scare when he tore a muscle in his knee during a Week 2 matchup against the Ravens. The injury required arthroscopic surgery to remove a “loose particle” from his right knee, sidelining him for two games. After that, however, Mixon enjoyed nearly two full seasons of good health.
That changed in his fourth year. In October, he first appeared on the Bengals’ injury report with a bruised shin ahead of their Week 5 game but returned in time to face the Ravens. Unfortunately, the worst was yet to come. In Week 6 against the Colts, Mixon suffered a right foot sprain—classified as a pedal foot sprain—which ultimately landed him on injured reserve. He missed the final ten games of the season.
After a long rehab process, Mixon bounced back in a big way the following year, rushing for 127 yards in his first game back. He remained healthy throughout the season, even playing through a low-grade ankle sprain.
In his sixth season with the Bengals, he missed two games after suffering another concussion, his second in the NFL. Then, in his debut season with the Houston Texans, he re-injured his right ankle on a hip-drop tackle in Week 2. Though he finished the game, the injury lingered and eventually sidelined him for three games. Still, he managed to finish the season strong, rushing for over 1,000 yards on 245 carries and scoring 11 touchdowns.
Now entering his second year in Houston, Joe Mixon is fully healthy and set to return as a key piece of the Texans’ offense. And he might not be alone in the backfield. The team is close to finalizing a one-year deal with All-Pro running back Nick Chubb, recently released by the Browns following another injury-plagued season.
If the deal is completed, the Texans could field one of the most dynamic backfields in the league. Chubb brings power and downhill explosiveness, while Mixon offers agility and versatility. Together, they’ll create a more diverse and unpredictable rushing attack—just the kind of support C.J. Stroud needs as he looks to get over his Sophomore slump.
