Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon (28) rushes with the football against Green Bay Packers cornerback Keisean Nixon (25) during the first quarter at Lambeau Field in Green Bay on Oct. 20, 2024.

Joe Mixon was expected to be a big part of the Houston Texans' offense in 2025 after earning a Pro Bowl nod in his first season with the team.

Instead, Mixon hasn't been able to take the field at all because of a nagging foot injury.

Mixon was placed on the non-football injury (NFI) list at the start of training camp in July as a result of the ailment. He hasn't yet been activated from the list and the Texans haven't yet committed to the veteran playing at all in 2025.

When might Mixon rejoin the Texans? Here are the latest updates about his injury and what Houston has said about a potential return to action.

When will Joe Mixon return?

Mixon's 2025 season may be over before it began.

NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported on Nov. 20 that the Texans' veteran running back "is not expected to play this season." Instead, "Mixon likely remains on the Physically Unable to Perform list through the season."

However, Mixon refuted Rapoport's reporting a couple of hours later.

"Now, I get everyone’s looking for splash news & clickbait… but I’m just curious, Ian how do you know more about me than me? " he wrote on social media site X.

Mixon's comment seems to indicate there is still a chance he returns in 2025. But short of an official statement or declaration from the Texans, his status for the remainder of the season is still up in the air.

Mixon entered Week 12 on the team's NFI list and still has not returned to practice while dealing with the malady.

Texans general manager Nick Caserio last provided an update on Mixon's status during a Nov. 18 appearance on SportsRadio 610's "Payne & Pendergast."

"It’s just a very gray situation," Caserio said of Mixon's situation. "Joe’s worked at it and there are times when he’s made progress, and other times when the progress just kind of stalled there a little bit."

While Caserio acknowledged the door remains open for Mixon to return, he wouldn't guarantee the 29-year-old would return to the field in 2025.

"Players in his status or situation are on the reserve list until they’re not," the 49-year-old general manager said. "So, Joe’s doing everything he can. Obviously, we’re getting pretty late in the game here. So, I don’t want to establish any sort of expectations."

Caserio also walked back comments he made Oct. 7, during which he said the Texans would "probably have a better idea" about Mixon's status over the next few weeks.

"I don’t think we have any more clarity at this point," Caserio said. "So, I think at this point, he's out until he’s not. And again, it’s just a very, I would say, gray – just kind of a lot of ambiguity. Not a lot of clarity. It’s nobody’s fault. It's just the reality of the situation. So, I’d say that’s kind of where we are."

Before Caserio's recent radio appearance, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans had last spoke on Mixon's status at an Oct. 27 news conference.

Ryans was asked during that availability if he had any updates on Mixon.

"I do not," Ryans replied, matter-of-factly.

The Texans enter Week 12 with a 5-5 record and are currently on the outside looking in on the AFC playoff race. The team has not given any insight into whether their standing in the postseason race will influence their decision on Mixon.

Mixon generated 1,016 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns on 245 carries across 14 games in 2024.

Texans RB depth chart

The Texans have five players listed as running backs on their unofficial depth chart. Below is a look at the pecking order within that unit, per the Texans' official website.

  1. Nick Chubb
  2. Woody Marks
  3. Dare Ogunbowale
  4. Dameon Pierce
  5. British Brooks

While Chubb is listed ahead of Marks, the two are actually tied with 99 carries each during the season. And Marks, a fourth-round rookie out of USC, has out-snapped Chubb 338 to 253 on offense while proving to be more effective as a receiver, generating 190 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 16 catches.

Chubb (4.2 yards per carry) has been more efficient between the tackles than Marks (3.5 yards per carry), so they figure to continue splitting the workload with Mixon out.

Elsewhere, Ogunbowale has been worked in sparingly as a receiver while Pierce has played just four games and hasn't logged an offensive snap since Week 5. And while Brooks is listed as a running back on the Texans' official roster, the 5-11, 225-pounder has played almost exclusively at fullback this season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When will Joe Mixon return? Latest injury updates on Texans RB

Reporting by Jacob Camenker and Jack McKessy, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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