Texans To Release RB Joe Mixon

Considering Mixon missed all of 2025 with an undisclosed injury, this move was expected. The nine-year veteran’s career may be in jeopardy at this point. Mixon underwent surgery recently; his timetable is unknown. This release will come with a failed physical designation, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson.

Mixon requested the release, Schefter adds, and the move will save the Texans $8MM in cap space. With Montgomery arriving as a younger option to pair with Woody Marks, Mixon was almost definitely headed out of town regardless of a release request.

The Bengals were close to releasing Mixon in 2024, but the Texans came in with a late trade offer — a seventh-round pick — for the longtime Cincinnati starter. Houston then extended Mixon on a two-year, $19.75MM deal. That contract included $13MM guaranteed at signing, representing a nice landing for the veteran RB after he had accepted a Cincy pay cut in 2023.

The 2024 season — which featured several relocated veterans making impacts at running back — brought success for Mixon, who totaled 1,016 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in 14 games. This earned the former second-round pick a Pro Bowl invite, as the Texans returned to the divisional round. But Mixon’s Houston tenure changed last year, when a foot injury sidelined him ahead of training camp. The Texans placed Mixon on the reserve/NFI list to start the season and never activated him.

It is still not known how or when Mixon suffered the injury, but he was never designated for return from the NFI list. GM Nick Caserio said (via Wilson) Mixon did not sustain the injury away from football activities. Though, landing on the NFI list meant the Oklahoma alum was injured away from official Texans workouts. The injury occurred before the summer, with Mixon in a walking boot last spring. That prompted the Texans to sign Nick Chubb, who played on a one-year, $2.5MM deal.

This saga steadily brought negative updates for Mixon. At first, he was to miss multiple weeks of training camp. He then landed on the reserve/NFI list to mandate a four-game absence. Reports then pegged the former Bengals extension recipient may miss all of 2025. By season’s end, Mixon’s NFL future was viewed as uncertain.

Mixon, who has five 1,000-yard rushing seasons on his resume, pursued nonsurgical options last year, according to Wilson. No disclosure was necessary due to Mixon never appearing on an injury report last year, but Wilson adds the team honored Mixon’s request for privacy regarding the ailment.