During their Week 16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Houston Texans had to deal with a loss that is much more significant than the game itself. Second-year wide receiver Tank Dell suffered a knee injury while making an impressive reception for a touchdown.
It was clear from the moment he hit the turf that the injury was serious. Teammate Jared Wayne inadvertently landed on Dell’s leg, leading to him being carted off the field while teammates looked on full of emotion.
Dell was taken to a nearby hospital where he was kept overnight for observation. Head coach DeMeco Ryans didn’t have much to say at first, calling it a “significant injury.”
“It is a significant knee injury, and our thoughts and prayers are definitely with Tank at this time.” — DeMeco Ryans said.
It was later reported that he suffered a dislocated kneecap, although the full extent isn’t known.
Tank Dell sends first social media clip following injury
Dell returned home on Sunday and while surgery hasn’t been scheduled, he did take some time to post to social media.
He shared a clip on TikTok with comments from a Kobe Bryant interview with Stephen A. Smith. Bryant was saying “God is great,”and discussed how he carried him through tough times. Dell then posted his own comment, saying "When you want something so bad you got a different type of attachment to it…#NosurrenderNoretreat.”
This is the second year in a row that Dell will end the season on IR. His rookie campaign also ended early when he fractured his fibula.
He was putting together one of the best games of the season as he finally looked like the playmaker we saw in 2023.