Joe Mixon leaves game with injury following possible missed hip-drop tackle penalty

   

Joe Mixon hurt in Texans vs. Bears game.

Houston Texans running back Joe Mixon left the game in the third quarter of Sunday night's game against the Chicago Bears with an apparent lower-body injury. Houston announced that Mixon is questionable to return to the game with an ankle issue, via the team's official X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter) account.

Texans' Joe Mixon injured during uncalled hip-drop tackle vs. Bears; RB  returns in fourth quarter - CBSSports.com

“Texans Injury Update: #28 RB Joe Mixon is questionable with an ankle injury.”

Before he suffered the injury, Mixon was able to compile 20 rushing yards on seven carries. He also had 25 receiving yards on three catches and five targets.

Texans' injury fears on Joe Mixon allayed after runing back returns to game

As an important piece of Houston's high-powered offense, Mixon has the Texans hoping that he did not suffer anything serious. Any fears about such was immediately extinguished, with Mixon returning to the game in time for the fourth quarter, as noted by Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Mixon sustained the injury after he was taken down by Bears linebacker TJ Edwards on what appeared to be a hip drop tackle. That defensive tactic is now illegal in the NFL but was not called as one during that play where the Texans tailback got hurt. Mixon then left the field and went inside the blue tent before being taken to the locker room for further evaluation.

The Texans were a bit thin in the running back position entering the Bears game, with Dameon Pierce ruled out with a hamstring injury, leaving Mixon, Dare Ogunbowale, and Cam Akers as the active tailbacks for the contest.

Mixon, who signed a three-year deal worth $25.5 million with Houston last March after seven seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, was coming off a sensational debut for the Texans in Week 1's 29-27 win on the road versus the Indianapolis Colts, where he racked up 159 rushing yards and a touchdown on 30 carries.