The arrival of Joe Mixon in Houston has generated a lot of excitement among some sections of the Texans fan base, with many expecting the former Bengals fullback to provide some added liveliness in the backfield alongside star QB CJ Stroud.
He’s done well in that regard in his first two games with Houston. On Sunday, however, he was stopped in his tracks, forced to the bench after being caught in a brutal — and possibly illegal — tackle against the Bears.
Here’s what you need to know.
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Joe Mixon Injury Update
Mixon appeared to be injured after taking a hit from TJ Edwards. The Texans running back caught a throw from CJ Stroud and spun forward, pushing past a would-be tackler in hopes of getting past the first-down marker. He was met by Edwards, who pulled Mixon back. Mixon appeared to get his lower leg caught under Edwards’ body, a fact made all the more obvious when he reached for his ankle area late in the play.
Joe Mixon Injures Ankle in Controversial Hip Tackle #NFL pic.twitter.com/wDDSJvsSxL
— Tanner Phifer (@TannerPhifer) September 16, 2024
Clearly limping, Mixon hopped to the sideline. He limped to the medical tent and remained there for a while. After being examined by Houston medical staff, he made his own way back to the locker room. Houston announced that Mixon was “questionable” to return to Sunday’s game with an ankle injury.
Texans injury update:
RB No. 28 Joe Mixon is doubtful with an ankle injury.
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 16, 2024
After missing one series, Mixon returned to the game, seemingly unscathed. However, he left the game for good before the next series. It wouldn’t be surprising to see the residual effects of the injury worsen further throughout the week and threaten Mixon’s status in Week 3 against Minnesota.
After Sunday’s game, head coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters that Houston still has evaluations to do to determine the severity of Mixon’s illness, according to ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime.
Mixon will have an MRI of his ankle on Monday, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said.
What is a “hip tackle”?
Edwards’ tackle looked suspiciously like that of hip tackle — a tackle that involves a defender “wrapping a ball carrier and rotating his hips, relieving himself and dropping onto the ball carrier’s legs” while making the tackle. He was not flagged for this play.
However, many online have pointed out the potential illegality of Edwards’ move. Hip tackles have proven increasingly dangerous for running backs — Mark Andrews suffered a fractured fibula and ligament damage after being taken down by the hit in November 2023.
The use of a hip tackle is supposed to result in a 15-yard penalty and an automatic first down for the offense. That didn’t happen Sunday night, however. Edwards can still be fined later in the week after the league office reviews the play.
Mixon called out the league and the NFLPA for the lack of flags on hip tackles — a new rule added this year that was supposed to penalize the exact type of tackle on which the running back was injured.
#Texans RB Joe Mixon, one of several players upset and/or injured by hip drop tackles Sunday, is having an MRI on his ankle today.
Mixon posted Sunday night: “The NFL and NFLPA made this a policy and a priority for a reason. It’s time to put our money where our mouth is.”
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 16, 2024
“The NFL and the NFLPA made this a policy and a priority for a reason,” Mixon said. “It’s time to put our money where our mouth is.”
Ryans has given his take on the tackle. The former defender revealed he thought Edwards’ tackle looked like a hip tackle. However, he acknowledged he would have to “watch the film” to confirm whether Edwards’ move was the banned tackling technique.
Texans RB Depth Chart
| 1 | Joe Mixon |
| 2 | Dare Ogunbowale |
| 3 | Cam Akers |
Dameon Pierce would normally have been Mixon’s primary backup, but he missed Week 2 with an ankle injury. Ogunbowale and Akers were used sparingly before Mixon’s injury. After he went out, both got some touches: Akers carried the ball seven times, while Ogunbowale had two carries. Ogunbowale had two receptions for 20 yards; by comparison, Akers had one reception for three yards Sunday night.
