On Thursday afternoon, various media outlets went ahead and confirmed what it appeared we had been building toward for months... veteran running back Joe Mixon would likely remain on the physically unable to perform list and end up missing the entirety of the current NFL season.
Mixon's health status has been a subplot since the spring, when a mysterious foot injury kept the Pro Bowl running back out of OTAs and minicamp. The very same foot injury prevented Mixon from getting onto the field during training camp, and it's kept Mixon from playing a single snap during the 2025 campaign.
Assuming that Mixon would miss the remainder of the season wouldn't require one to venture too far out on a limb. The Texans have played it coy at every turn, living in the grey area when many wanted a black or white update on his health status. But you know what they say about what happens when you assume something...
On Thursday afternoon, just hours before the Texans took down the Buffalo Bills and got to over .500 for the first time all season, Mixon went after NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, who was one of many who reported that the Texans would be without their starting running back for the rest of the season.
"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?" Mixon said while quote-tweeting Rapoport. He then went ahead and tagged Rapoport's agent, Peter Schaffer, and instructed him to "get yo mans bro."
I suppose I'm fortunate that Mixon didn't get his eyes on my November 20th column, otherwise he may be taking a shot at me on X and not Rapoport. Though admittedly, Sonny Giuliano doesn't have the same name recognition as Ian Rapoport does.
Joe Mixon does make a good point. He above anyone else would have the best idea as to whether he'll be able to return this season. But naturally, now that Mixon has weighed in, it raises an important question... will Mixon actually return this season, or was he simply proving a point that we shouldn't take any report regarding a players health status as fact until they themselves are able to confirm it?