Texans GM Nick Caserio Discusses Joe Mixon But Doesn't Address The Elephant In The Room

If Nick Caserio's intent Wednesday was to clear up the mystery behind Joe Mixon's frustrating absence from the Houston Texans all season, well, he failed.

The club's general manager addressed Mixon's foot injury that kept him from playing at all in 2025 but, unfortunately for everyone involved, Caserio did not address the elephant in the room.

And the elephant in the room is the unsubstantiated but persistent online rumors that Mixon shot himself in the foot, which not only ended the running back's season but perhaps puts his time with the Texans in serious jeopardy. 

Jan 4, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio walks on the field before the game against the Indianapolis Colts at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Mixon Injury A 'Unique Situation'

"It was a very unique situation," Caserio told reporters. "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 and came to fruition. 

"So, probably an opportunity to kind of see where he is in the offseason, relative to next year. But again, it was very, it was as unique a situation, an injury as I've been associated with. And it's just, I don't want to call it a freak thing, but it's just kind of a freak thing. 

"And Joe worked really hard, you know, to put his best foot forward. It just, it didn't work out."

Well, aside from making a pun about Mixon trying to put his best foot forward as he was trying to rehabilitate from a foot injury, Caserio only added mystery rather than clarity to the issue.

The rumors – again, unsubstantiated but epidemic online – do not go away with the general manager calling the injury "a very unique situation" because a player shooting himself in the foot would qualify as a very unique situation.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JANUARY 18: Joe Mixon #28 of the Houston Texans carries the ball on a running play during the second half of the AFC Divisional playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on January 18, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)

Caserio: Mixon Didn't Jump Off Building

"He didn’t do anything off the field, it wasn’t like he was riding a snowmobile or anything like that," Caserio said later. "I’d say it was more just a medical condition or situation that really didn’t improve as much as everybody hoped. 

"I’m not trying to evade the question, but that’s the reality of the situation. He didn’t jump off a building, he wasn’t cliff diving or anything like that, he wasn’t doing anything irresponsible, it was just a freak thing. Honestly, I’ve never seen it."

Why didn't Caserio just say Mixon didn't shoot himself? 

He's aware of the rumors. If he isn't, he's uninformed.

So why not just tell everyone that Mixon's career isn't at risk because there was a bullet that either lodged or went through one of his feet rather than making up some tomfoolery about the guy not jumping off a building?

Caserio was evasive about Mixon and that's perhaps because he is evasive about a lot of things, having been trained in New England under Bill Belichick. He's also perhaps evasive about stuff because he might not have the complete details.

"We haven't seen Joe in a little bit, so I think at some point, we'll see him and then we'll be able to evaluate kind of where he is, and then based on information, we'll kind of see what the status is moving forward," Caserio said. 

Feb 27, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Houston Texans general manager Nick Caserio speaks during the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Mixon Future In Houston Uncertain

Does that mean the Texans intend to bring Mixon back for 2026? 

"Yeah, I mean, he's under contract, so we'll evaluate a situation, and then, you know, we'll see where it goes from there," Caserio said.

Mixon will be in the final year of his contract in 2026. The Texans can save $8 million on their cap by simply releasing him.

If the injury happened away from the team, they definitely can move with all that salary cap savings. And Caserio knows that. So in the next breath, he declines to guarantee that Mixon will be back on the team.

"It's honestly hard to answer that right now because we haven't seen him in a little bit," Caserio said. "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."

But will they ever address the elephant in the room?