Nico Collins Injury Update: Houston Texans Star WR Exits Monday Night Football With Concussion

The Houston Texans’ Monday Night Football matchup against the Seattle Seahawks took a troubling turn when star Wide Receiver Nico Collins left the game with a head injury. For a team already struggling to find its offensive rhythm, losing its top pass-catcher felt like watching your last slice of pizza fall face-down on the kitchen floor.

What Happened To Collins?

Early in the fourth quarter, Collins went up for a C.J. Stroud pass and got tangled up with a Seattle defender. The impact sent him crashing to the turf, his head bouncing off the ground in a way that made everyone watching wince. You could feel the collective “oh no” from Texans fans across the country.

Collins stayed down on one knee along the sideline as play continued around him. He eventually made his way into the dreaded blue medical tent for a concussion evaluation before heading back to the locker room. The team initially listed him as questionable to return, but let’s be real—once you’re in that tent for a head injury, you’re probably done for the night.

Collins Officially Ruled Out

The Texans confirmed what most feared: Collins was ruled out with a concussion. Before the injury, he had managed four catches for 27 yards against the Seahawks—not exactly lighting up the stat sheet, but then again, nobody on Houston’s offense was having a great night.

Why This Hurts (Beyond the Obvious)

Here’s the thing about losing Collins—it’s not just about losing one player. The Texans were already limping into this game without starting slot receiver Christian Kirk, who was sidelined with a hamstring injury. Their offensive line has looked about as sturdy as a house of cards in a windstorm, and now they’re without their WR1?

Collins has been the engine driving Houston’s passing attack this season. Through the first five games, he led the team in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns. When your quarterback’s favorite target goes down, especially against a defense that’s been making life miserable all night, you’re in trouble.

What’s Next For Collins and the Texans?

The concussion protocol doesn’t mess around. If Collins is indeed in the protocol (and all signs point to yes), he’ll need to clear multiple stages before he can suit up again. That means he’s almost certainly missing next week’s game against the San Francisco 49ers, at minimum.

For the Texans, this injury compounds an already frustrating offensive performance. Through three quarters, they had managed just 12 points, with only six coming from actual offensive drives. Losing Collins for any extended period means C.J. Stroud will need to find chemistry with other receivers quickly—or this offense might sputter worse than a ’92 Honda Civic. The good news? Player safety comes first, and the NFL’s concussion protocol exists for exactly this reason. The bad news? The Texans’ Super Bowl aspirations just got a lot more complicated.