The toll football takes on a player’s body is immense, and injuries are common. Players in some positions, like the running backs, take more punishment than others. Joe Mixon has had his fair share, too. Fortunately, the Houston Texans RB has been able to avoid extended time on the sidelines despite playing one of the most punishing positions in football.
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Mixon has been in the league since 2017, drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. 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, the then Bengals RB suffered a Grade 2 concussion during a game against the Pittsburgh 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, however, began with a scare.
Mixon tore a muscle in his knee during a Week 2 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. The injury required arthroscopic surgery to remove a “loose particle” from his right knee, sidelining him for two games. After that Mixon enjoyed nearly two full seasons of good health.
That changed in his fourth year. In October 2021, 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. The worst was yet to come.
In Week 6 against the Indianapolis Colts, Mixon suffered a right foot sprain — classified as a pedal foot sprain — which ultimately landed him on injured reserve. He missed the final 10 games of the season.
After a long rehab, 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 2023, his sixth season with the Bengals, Mixon missed two games after suffering another concussion, his second in the NFL. In 2024, in his debut season with the Houston Texans, he re-injured his right ankle on a hip-drop tackle in Week 2.
The injury sidelined him for three games. But he bounced back and 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, 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 Cleveland 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 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.
