Houston Texans fans won't be happy with the latest report on star back Joe Mixon. The veteran isn't taking part in OTAs due to an injury that is being referred to as "minor" while wearing a walking boot. This in itself is enough to alarm fans, no matter how the injury is described. The presence of the boot is perhaps just a precaution, and we are still months away from any snaps of meaning.
However, this is never how you want to start the offseason program. This is especially the case when you consider how the season ended for the Texans. So often, it seemed the team was a play away from taking control of a game and couldn't get out of their own way. It wasn't the step forward expected after the emergence of C. J. Stroud in the quarterback's rookie season. It has left Houston fans with a heavy level of concern and skepticism that translates to Mixon's concerning injury.
Texans Fans Can't Help But Show Concern with Joe Mixon in a Walking Boot
The Texans are going to need a hot start to the 2025 season after fumbling away being the league's 2024 AFC media darlings. Existing concerns about depth at receiver and whether or not Stroud will take a step forward have cooled much of the excitement outside of Houston.
Texans fans still have a myriad of reasons to believe in this team despite the heavy level of skepticism after a frustrating 2024 season. If Stroud is the player the franchise believes him to be, the Texans are one of the few teams with legitimate hopes of contending in a conference with Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, and Josh Allen.
While this early-season injury to Mixon is a concern and hurts these aspirations, it is too early to panic just yet. The walking boot is alarming, however, we are still months away from regular season action. Mixon has the entire summer to get healthy and is unlikely to greatly benefit from OTAs and summer practices. Having the back rest and focus on getting healthy is the best path for a team that continues to attempt to prove they will be among the top conference contenders in the coming seasons.