Texans release two-time Pro Bowl RB Joe Mixon

The Houston Texans freed up $8 million in cap space on Friday with two-time Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon.

Mixon, 29, missed the entire 2025 season with an undisclosed foot injury and was entering the final year of a three-year, $27 million contract he signed in March 2024.

The Texans finished 12-5 without Mixon and advanced to the playoffs for the third straight time. Rookie Woody Marks led the team with 703 rushing yards and veteran Nick Chubb added 506 yards on the ground.

Earlier this week, multiple outlets reported that Texas would acquire running back David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions in exchange for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and fourth- and seventh-round picks in April’s draft.

Mixon has 7,428 yards and 60 TDs in 111 career games (102 starts) against the Cincinnati Bengals (2017-23) and Texans, including 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns during his first season in Houston in 2024. He also had 319 catches for 2,448 yards and 14 scores.

Texans general manager Nick Caserio addressed Mixon’s future during his end-of-season press conference on January 21, calling the running back’s foot injury a “weird thing.”

“It didn’t look like he was on a snowmobile or anything like that,” Caserio said. “It was more of a medical condition or situation, and it probably didn’t improve as much as everyone had hoped. I’m not trying to dodge the question. That’s the reality of the situation. He didn’t jump off a building. He didn’t cliff dive. He didn’t do anything irresponsible. It was just weird.”

Caserio also addressed the information gap surrounding Mixon’s mysterious offseason injury.

“It was a very unique situation,” Caserio said. “Honestly, from the beginning of the year until now, no one has been thinking clearly. I would say Joe has worked very hard to get himself ready to play football. It never showed and it paid off.”

–Field level media