(Photo credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)

The Houston Texans released two-time Pro Bowl running back Joe Mixon on Friday, clearing $8 million in cap space.

Mixon, 29, missed the entire 2025 season with an undisclosed foot injury and was heading into the final year of a three-year, $27 million deal he signed in March 2024.

The Texans finished 12-5 without Mixon and earned their third straight trip to the playoffs. Rookie Woody Marks led the team with 703 rushing yards and veteran Nick Chubb added 506 yards on the ground.

Multiple outlets reported earlier this week that the Texans are acquiring running back David Montgomery from the Detroit Lions in exchange for offensive lineman Juice Scruggs and fourth- and seventh-round picks in April's draft.

Including 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns during his first season with Houston in 2024, Mixon has rushed for 7,428 yards and 60 TDs in 111 career games (102 starts) for the Cincinnati Bengals (2017-23) and Texans. He also has 319 catches for 2,448 yards and 14 scores.

Texans general manager Nick Caserio discussed Mixon's future during his end-of-season press conference on Jan. 21, referring to the running back's foot injury a 'freak thing.'

'It wasn't like he was riding a snowmobile or anything like that,' Caserio said. 'It was more of a medical condition or situation that never ... really didn't improve maybe as much as everybody would have hoped. I'm not trying to evade the question. That's the reality of the situation. He didn't jump off a building. He wasn't cliff diving or anything. He wasn't doing anything irresponsible. It was just a freak thing.'

Caserio also addressed the information void surrounding Mixon's mysterious offseason injury.

'It was a very unique situation,' Caserio said. 'I don't think anybody really had any clarity, honestly, from the start of the year until now. I'd say Joe worked very, very hard to try to get himself ready to play football. It just never manifested itself, came to fruition.'

--Field Level Media