Houston Texans running back Nick Chubb remains confident in himself, and he has the backing of head coach DeMeco Ryans, who will lean on the four-time Pro Bowler amid starter Joe Mixon’s foot injury. However, Chubb still faces significant outside doubts.
Mixon is on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list and must miss at least four games.
Chubb has been the Texans’ de facto feature back in Mixon’s absence, but injuries have taken a toll, and he could face strong challenges at this stage of his career.
Nick Chubb Key Amid ‘No Sense’ of Joe Mixon Return
GettyJoe Mixon #28 of the Houston Texans warms up before a game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Chubb could quickly outplay the one-year, $2.5 million contract that he signed with the Texans in free agency during the 2025 offseason. But the Texans also know they must use the 29-year-old (30 in December) wisely.
That has left the Texans, who have “no sense” about when Mixon will be back, “piecing things together” at the RB spot, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.
Youngsters Dameon Pierce and Woody Marks are both in line for increased opportunities.
“Chubb seems to be the starter for now, but he hasn’t shown the same explosiveness post-injury that he had earlier in his career, which could open the door for Pierce or Marks to take on a larger role. It’ll be interesting to see how many of these guys are active on game days,” Fowler wrote on September 4.
“Until someone steps up and shows more than they have so far, expect the Texans to use the run game to set up a passing game they believe will be more dynamic in C.J. Stroud’s third year than it was in a disappointing 2024 that led to the firing of offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik.”
Chubb, who logged four straight 1,000-yard seasons from 2019 through 2022, is eager to put his best foot forward this season.
Texans HC DeMeco Ryans Backs Nick Chubb After Strong Claims
GettyHouston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans reacts against the Indianapolis Colts.
“I’m here to do whatever I need to do for this team, for the city,” Chubb told reporters on September 3. “So, whatever’s called on me, I’m happy to go out there and give them all.”
Ryans said he expects to see the same player that Chubb has been.
“Nick won’t surprise me in the game. I know what I’m going to get from Nick Chubb,” Ryans told reporters on September 3. “He’s the guy I watched for a long time. He’s done it at a high level for a long time. Ton of respect for Nick and how he plays the game. I don’t expect to see anything different on Sunday. I expect to see a physical running back who’s going to gain positive yards every time he touches the football.”
However, Chubb has played in 10 games over the past two seasons, suffering a devastating knee injury in 2023 and then injuring his foot in 2024. He also suffered a concussion in training camp with the Texans.
Stroud endorsed Chubb, too, noting the veteran is aware he is being written off by outsiders.
Chubb believes that his injury woes are a thing of the past.
“I feel good,” Chubb said in June. “I would say that’s all behind me, and injuries happen. And with what I did, [it] takes about two years to really get back. And so, I’m over the hump. I’m back home. I was back home all offseason, training where I trained every year since I was in high school, and I was able to get a full year in of doing the things that I do best. So, now I’m feeling good as I have been in a long time.”
Chubb also said that he “hit all my numbers that I usually do,” citing both speed and weight training drills, all of which bode well for his outlook with the Texans.
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