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Joe Mixon's 2025 season will begin well past Week 1's opener at SoFi Stadium.
According to a statement released by the Houston Texans, the Pro Bowl running back will begin the regular season on the Reserve/Non-Football injury list, thus eliminating him for the first four games of the regular season. The earliest he can return is in Week 5 against the Baltimore Ravens on October 5 at M&T Bank Stadium.
Mixon, who last season became the first Texans' running back since Carlos Hyde in 2019, has been dealing with an ankle and foot injury since the start of offseason workouts. The Texans signed former Pro Bowler Nick Chubb in May to serve as the feature back in place of Mixon throughout summer workouts.
The 29-year-old was one of the better runners in the AFC last season after totaling 11 touchdowns in 14 games. He also averaged 4.1 yards per run while totaling 1,016 yards off 245 carries.
With Mixon out, Houston must turn to Chubb, Dameon Pierce, Dare Ogunbowale and rookie Woody Marks as the top options to begin the regular season.
The Texans open to the regular season on the road against the Los Angeles Rams on Sept. 7.