We are now nine weeks into the 2025 NFL season and Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon has yet to suit up in a game.
Mixon has been on the non-football injury list since July with a foot injury that was apparently suffered away from the team. The injury remains shrouded in mystery, though, and it is unclear exactly what he's dealing with.
What we do know is that it's serious enough to threaten his 2025 status. Here's what we know about Mixon's chances of suiting up this season.
When is Joe Mixon coming back?
There is no definitive answer for this question, unfortunately.
Back in August, general manager Nick Caserio cast doubt on Mixon's ability to play at all this season, but he offered a shred of hope for the veteran on Oct. 7, saying Mixon has been making progress.
However, Caserio added that his status for this season is indeed in limbo and the team should know more in three to four weeks from that date.
"He's making progress, so we won't put a particular timetable on it, so I think over the next few three or four weeks, we'll probably get a little more information here, kind of see how he's progressing," Caserio said.
"Once we kind of get to that period, probably have a better sense of which way it's going to go for the duration of the year," the Texans' GM added.
Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston.com adds that Mixon is recovering from a "tough, complicated situation" and his ability to play in 2025 is anything but a sure thing.
Seeing as how we have now turned the calendar to November, an update on Mixon should be coming any day now, but things continue to look bleak for him.
It'll be interesting to see if the Texans make a move for a running back at the deadline, but the emergence of rookie Woody Marks makes a move less likely.
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