Cincinnati Bengals
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The Houston Texans released a former Bengals player
The Cincinnati Bengals offense has been the calling card of the team since the team drafted Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase in consecutive years. Of course, those two players have not been the only two who were vital to the offense. Tee Higgins has solidified himself as one of the best No. 2 receivers in the NFL.
However, paying players like Chase, Higgins and Burrow resulted in the Bengals losing talented offensive players to other teams. And now, one of those former Bengals players that they could no longer afford has been released.
Texans release former Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Mixon
After missing the entire 2025 season with a foot injury, the Houston Texans announced that they had released former Bengals running back Joe Mixon.Mixon was traded from the Bengals to the Texans prior to the 2024 season, as Mixon had been previously expected to be released by Cincinnati.
Mixon ended up playing only 14 games for the Texans these past two seasons. He did reach 1,016 rushing yards during the 2024 season as he was selected to his second career Pro Bowl. Additionally, he totaled over 100 rushing yards in seven of his first nine games with Houston, before injuries derailed his career.
Previously, Mixon spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Bengals. During this stretch, Mixon totaled 6,412 rushing yards and 62 total touchdowns. He was rewarded with a four-year, $48 million contract extension after the 2019 season.
Mixon’s best season came in 2021 as he was a key part of the Bengals team that reached the Super Bowl. His 262 rushing yards led the league in the postseason. Additionally, his 1,205 rushing yards were the most in his career.
Regarding his release and Bengals tenure,Sports Illustrated’s Russell Heltman wrote, “He was one of the best running backs in Bengals history and was part of the two AFC Championship runs earlier this decade. Mixon finished his seven-season Bengals career as one of the five best RBs in team history, ranking top-three among all Bengals ever in rushing yards (6,412), rushing touchdowns (49), and attempts (1,571).”
Possible Reunion Between Mixon and Cincinnati
During Mixon’s time in Cincinnati, head coach Zac Taylor praised the player. During the 2023 offseason,Taylor said, “I like Joe Mixon as our starting running back. We get him the ball a lot of different ways, just because, you know, Samaje (Perine) played more on third down than [Mixon] did, didn’t mean that his production wasn’t wavered. We’re still going to throw him the football and hand him the football, and now you have a chance to see where these three other guys are going to get more opportunities.”
Unfortunately for some Bengals fans who could have been hoping for a reunion, that does not seem likely. Heltman wrote, “Cincinnati is set at running back with a lead back in Chase Brown and Tahj Brooks taking on a bigger role as the season went on in 2025.”
Additionally, Mixon’s status with his foot injury that caused him to miss the 2025 season remains to be seen.