For all of the questions about the status of Joe Mixon’s health, with the Houston Texans star one game away from missing the entire 2025 regular season, there are none regarding where his allegiances lie.
Mixon has been a staunch supporter from the outside, touting the team and his teammates’ accomplishments.
He also reveled in the disruption they caused for one of their rivals in particular.
Joe Mixon Gets Last Laugh Over Texans Win
GettyJoe Mixon #28 of the Houston Texans looks on after facing the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC Wild Card Playoffs.
The Texans’ win was historic on many fronts, including securing a playoff berth for the third straight season, a first for the franchise.
Mixon was invested in the Texans’ win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 17.
Mixon also got a final “lol” on X as former Indianapolis Colts linebacker Shaquille Leonard, who has not played since 2023, posted “Wow!” after his former team was eliminated from postseason contention due to the Texans’ victory.
Leonard, whose nickname is “The Maniac,” has not played since the 2023 season. The Colts waived him during that season. He finished out the string with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Mixon also celebrated Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair’s interception and the win.
The Texans also eliminated the Chargers from the running for the AFC West crown with the win, handing it to the Denver Broncos. If the playoff picture in the AFC entering Sunday holds, the Texans would visit the Jacksonville Jaguars in the Wild Card Round.
The Texans face the Colts in the regular-season finale, while the Jaguars will play host to the Tennessee Titans.
The door technically remains open for Mixon to return for the Texans, but it is also unlikely.
‘Clickbait’ About Joe Mixon Proves Accurate
GettyJoe Mixon #28 of the Houston Texans on the field before facing the Green Bay Packers.
The Texans still have not officially ruled Mixon out for the season. Mixon took exception to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, which painted a bleak picture about the Texans star’s outlook for the 2025 season.
“Sources: #Texans RB Joe Mixon is not expected to play this season as he deals with a foot injury from the offseason,” Rapoport reported on X in November. “Mixon likely remains on the Physically Unable to Perform list through the season. Meanwhile, Houston moves forward with Nick Chubb and Woody Marks.”
“Now, I get everyone’s looking for splash news & clickbait,” Mixon posted on X on November 20.
“But I’m just curious, Ian how do you know more about me than me? [confused face emoji].”
Fans even added a community note on Rapoport’s initial report following Mixon’s reaction.
However, Rapoport’s reporting has proven prescient, even as Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans has remained against divulging players’ medical information and general manager Nick Caserio’s self-imposed timeline for a decision on Mixon has expired.
Texans Helping Fuel Joe Mixon Speculation
GettyJoe Mixon #28 of the Houston Texans looks on against the Baltimore Ravens.
Ryans’ stance regarding Mixon, or any other player’s injury, is that it is private, with the head coach also decrying “clickbait” stories about the Texans star and two-time Pro Bowler.
“I can see all the news and media that circulates on everybody speculating. Well, it’s not us speculating. It’s everybody who’s writing the stories are speculating. So, it’s more so of let’s not speculate if you don’t know the true information,” Ryans told reporters in August.
“That’s Joe’s business, that’s whoever’s business, and don’t talk about it. Let him be at peace.”
At the same time, Caserio’s updates have included timelines the Texans have not followed, with the executive saying on “Payne & Pendergast” in November, “It’s just a very gray situation, and Joe’s worked at it. And there are times when he’s made progress, and other times when the progress just kind of stalled there a little bit.
“Joe’s doing everything he can. Obviously, we’re getting pretty late in the game here. So, I don’t want to establish any sort of expectations.”
The only expectation that has proven accurate regarding Mixon is Rapoport’s, which was not unique, as reports emerged on his ominous outlook for 2025 since the offseason, when he was spotted wearing a walking boot.
Mixon shed the boot but remains on the Reserve/Non-Football Injury (NFI) list for the Texans.
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