Joe Mixon’s Ankle Injury: No Long-Term Concerns for Bengals Star

The Houston Texans received some positive news regarding Joe Mixon’s injury following their 19-13 win over the Bears on Sunday Night Football, improving their record to 2-0.

Mixon, a prized free-agent acquisition, sustained an ankle injury in the second half after a tackler appeared to roll over his ankle. Although Mixon returned to the game, he only played seven more snaps, with just one rush attempt.

Both Mixon and Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans were firm in their belief that the tackle was a “hip-drop” tackle, a technique the NFL made a point to address and ban during the offseason. Ryans described the tackle, stating, “When the defender unweights himself and then puts all of his weight on the runner’s legs, you see why they want to get the hip-drop tackle out of the game.”

Mixon voiced his frustration on X, commenting, “The NFL and NFLPA made it a rule and an emphasis for a reason. Time to put your money where your mouth is.” In a follow-up post, Mixon wrote, “When I got up, I asked the ref where is the flag for that hip tackle. His reply was no it wasn’t.”

The Texans have reportedly submitted film of the play for the NFL’s review, but that won’t change the current status of Mixon’s ankle.

Fortunately, an MRI on Monday revealed that Mixon’s injury does not seem to be a long-term concern. While Ryans did not comment on Mixon’s status for the Texans’ Week 3 matchup against the Vikings, the team is likely to take a cautious approach with their star running back.

If Mixon is unavailable for Sunday’s game, the Texans will rely on Dameon Pierce, assuming his hamstring injury from Week 2 clears up. Additionally, Cam Akers, who saw a significant workload after Mixon’s exit, is expected to contribute as the Texans aim to move to 3-0 on the road in Minnesota.