The last time the Texans' fan base heard about the status of running back Joe Mixon was from general manager Nick Cesario during last Wednesday's end-of-season press conference. 

When asked about his expectations of seeing a healthy Joe Mixon, Caserio stated, "It's honestly hard to answer that right now because we haven't seen him in a little bit. At some point we'll see him, get a better idea, maybe do some follow-up examinations and get more information. Once we have more information, I think we'll be able to make a better assessment.”

Two days prior, head coach Demeco Ryans himself said he that he "doesn't know the answer to" whether or not Mixon is guaranteed back in Houston for 2026. 

However, yesterday Mixon made an Instagram post that implied an impactful return was in order for 2026. 

"All '26, Vengeance" is what the Instagram story mentioned, which one can read as Mixon having explosive intentions if and when he makes it back onto an NFL field. 

This would be music to the ears of Texans fans, as Mixon's presence has been missed in the running game all season long. 

In 2024, Mixon led the Texans' rushing attack with 1,016 yards (4.1 avg) and 11 touchdowns (second-most in a season in his career). In the pass game, he also contributed 36 receptions for 309 yards (8.6 avg) and one touchdown. 

With his play, Houston's rushing offense ranked 15th in yards per game (112.3) and 18th total scores for the season (15). While those numbers landed them essentially in "middle of the pack" territory, they were both improvements from 2023's marks of 23rd in yards per game (96.9) and 25th in total scores (10).

2025 could've been an encore season, but a mystery foot injury sidelined Mixon for the entire campaign and left the entire rushing operation in the hands of rookie Woody Marks and the newly signed veteran Nick Chubb. 

As a result, Houston tumbled back down to 22nd in yards per game (108.9) and all the way to 31st in total scores (nine). 

With Mixon back in the fold, it could catapult the club back to a respectable level of proficiency on the ground and help to stabilize an often times moribund offense as a whole. 

The only caveat to a Mixon return is the potential cap savings that the team would benefit from in the event they decide to part ways with the ninth-year veteran.  

According to OverTheCap.com, Houston would save roughly $8 million in cap space if they moved off of Mixon's contract ahead of 2026. 

The downside of course would be the Texans needing to go out once again and find a feature back to pair with Marks. Thankfully, Houston has plenty of time to ponder their decision ahead of the official opening of free agency on March 11th and the NFL Draft in April. 

Do you think the Texans will bring back Mixon in 2026? Let us know in the comments section below and by mentioning us at @Texans_RTB on X and @Texans.Roundtable on TikTok!