HOUSTON – Texans wide receiver Tank Dell traveled back to Houston on Sunday after being treated and released from the University of Kansas Medical Center trauma unit as coach DeMeco Ryans reiterated that the former University of Houston standout has suffered a “significant” knee injury.
Dell dislocated his left knee cap, per league sources, and more testing and second opinions are being sought to determine the next steps medically for an injury that ends his season and is expected to require a significant rehabilitation period before he can play football again.
This marks the latest adversity for Dell, 25, whose dynamic rookie season last year was ended prematurely by a broken fibula that required surgery to repair the damage. Months later, Dell was the victim of a gunshot wound in his leg during a mass shooting in Florida while attending a party as an innocent bystander.
“Right now, he’s flying back to Houston,” said Ryans, who added he has been in touch with Dell. “As of right now, we’ll still be evaluating to see where he is, still meeting with doctors to see what’s next for him. It is a significant knee injury. Our thoughts and prayers are definitely with Tank at this time.”
Ryans was noncommittal on whether Dell will play again this season, replying: “We’re still evaluating to see what will happen. He still has to talk to doctors and go through all the procedures there.”
Dell posted a broken heart on social media as well as an inspirational video on TikTok with the caption: “When you want something so bad, you got a different attachment to it.” with the hashtag #noretreatnosurrender.
In the aftermath of a fallen Dell writhing in pain in the end zone, the traumatic situation left his teammates emotional and visibly upset on the field and inside the locker room following the game. Especially wide receiver Wayne, who accidentally fell into Dell in the back of the end zone in a collision that left his teammate injured badly.
“With that, Jared was in a difficult spot emotionally, as anyone would be,” Ryans said. “Its a tough spot to be in. Football, it’s a lot of unpredictable movements, a lot of things happen and a lot of things happen fast. None of us can predict injuries. Guys play fast, things happen all the time. You try to avoid things and slow down and that’s when things happen even more.
“You continue to play fast and understand it’s the unfortunate part of what we do is the injury. For that, everyone needs to take a step back and think about Tank, think about Jared, think about all the guys involved on that play. Man, it’s tough for me, it’s tough for anybody to see anybody hurt. It’s deeper than football. We’re talking about real people with real emotions that are going through a tough time right now.”
Dell was transported immediately via ambulance during the game to University of Kansas Medical Center, a Level 1 trauma center, per league sources.
His leg was immobilized to deal with the swelling.
Dell immediately grabbed his knee and was in visible pain after catching a touchdown pass from quarterback C.J. Stroud as Wayne collided with him. Stroud broke into tears after the injury sustained by one of his best friends and fellow draft class member.
In other injury updates, Ryans struck a tone of disappointment at having to replace nickel Jimmie Ward and right guard Shaq Mason for the immediate future.
Ward sustained a foot injury and couldn’t put weigh ton it. While he avoided a fracture and structural damage, the injury is expected to sideline him indefinitely, per sources.
Mason injured his knee. There are some early indications that it’s not a significant knee issue, per sources, but nonetheless Mason will be out for some time.
Ward was replaced initially by Myles Bryant before outside corner Kamari Lassiter shifted inside to the slot and Jeff Okudah replaced him at outside corner.
“Another guy that went down and he was in a lot of pain on the field as well, Jimmie, our thoughts are with him, as well,” Ryans said. “People lose sight that Jimmie went down as well as Tank. Unfortunately for Jimmie, him to go down that way. When it comes to our matchups, our personnel and how we’ll deploy our guys, still sorting through that. As of right now, it is still fresh and still sorting through how we will replace Jimmie.”
Mason was replaced at guard by Kendrick Green. It’s unclear if Juice Scruggs, a former starting left guard and center, will be back this week.
“Lost another starter there in Shaq, so that hurts us,” Ryans said. “I thought Kendrick stepped in and did a really nice job. Our line, overall, did a really nice job all day of really competing, playing hard, physical. I really like what they did and we’ll see how the unit continues to progress.”
“It’s not easy seeing your brother go down like that,” Stroud said. “I’m just tore up, but at the same time, I got to be strong for him. For anything whether it goes left or right, up or down, I have to praise my Lord and savior. It’s not easy, but I try to use it as motivation. It’s not easy to just let it go.
“That’s my best friend. It’s not easy to move on and just keep playing. I tried to do the best that I could. My teammates helped me up. I appreciate the guys just talking to me because I was going through it. This will be another road in the bump for Tank. It sucks to say, but, at the end of the day this is not the end for Tank. It’s just the beginning.”
Dell was having one of his best performances of the season Saturday against the Super Bowl champion Chiefs when he got hurt, catching six passes for 98 yards and one score on seven targets.
It was a jarring moment for the Texans that hit home in ways beyond football. It’s about brotherhood and friendship, and the team is hurting along with Dell.
“Man, obviously, it’s an unfortunate injury,” running back Joe Mixon said. “Tank fought his ass off to get healthy with everything he was going through in the offseason. My man showed up to work each and every day with the best mindset and attitude. It’s an unfortunate situation. That’s the nature of this game. You can never take it for granted. The only thing we can do for Tank is be there for him.
“My dawg hurt on the ground. You never want to see things like that. That’s your brother right there screaming in pain. There’s really nothing you can do. That s--- sucks. I just tried to do everything I can and let him know that we’re there for him, praying over him, holding him and let him know: ‘God got you.’ At the end of the day, you never want to see anybody in our sport get hurt like that. You just got to be there for him. It’s a lot of emotion that goes into it. You know who Tank is for us. That was a big loss for us. It is a big loss.”
Dell was on the ground in agony, surrounded by a large group of highly emotional teammates, including Stroud and Mixon, before being carted off the field in an ambulance.
“That s-- hurt, bro, it hurts,” wide receiver Nico Collins said. “We know how much he meant to this team, but losing one of your brothers, man, it hurts. Speedy recovery for my dawg. Mentally, he’s going through it, but we have to keep stepping, keep climbing for him.
“Knowing how much this game means to him, to us, to go down like that, it’s frustrating. It’s hard. He’s a really big part of this offense. Seeing him go down, it hurt. We got to continue to step and ball for him and all of the rest of the brothers. We’re going to miss him, but we know how much it means to him to do what we do.”
The former third-round draft pick had set his ambitions on upgrading his contributions for the stretch run of the season for the AFC South champions. Now, his season is over.
“I’m definitely trying to improve my role and become a big factor on this team,” Dell told KPRC 2 recently. “Me, personally, I feel like my season hasn’t been good. I know what I’m capable of. I feel like I can do way much better. It starts with me. I got to go out there with a clean slate, a clean mind and make the plays I’m capable of making.”
Fifteen games into the season, Dell’s role hadn’t been as expansive as last season. He caught 51 passes for 667 yards and three touchdowns this season.
A year ago, as a rookie, Dell was on pace for 1,205 yards before he broke his leg.
During the offseason, the Texans traded for Pro Bowl wide receiver Stefon Diggs and invested a three-year, $75 million contract in top wide receiver Nico Collins.
Diggs is out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Collins missed five games with a pulled hamstring, but has been dominant since being activated from injured reserve and caught a pair of touchdown passes from Stroud against Miami.
“I feel like we’re always in this position, losing one of our best guys,” Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil said. “I hope we’re not cursed, but that’s what it feels like. You got to keep your head up.”
The Texans’ wide receiver position is now in flux behind Collins and will likely turn to Robert Woods, Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie III whenever Metchie returns from a shoulder injury.
Ryans was noncommittal on whether Metchie will be able to play Wednesday against the Baltimore Ravens. Metchie is improving, but he didn’t practice last week.
“There is a chance John could be back,” Ryans said. “I think he’s progressing, so we’ll see where he ends up on Wednesday.”
It’s a lot of calamity for a talented position group that entered the season with sky-high expectations.
“It’s hard, it’s tough,” Hutchinson said. “You never want to see someone like Tank go out, with everything that he’s been through, everything that he’s battled through and having the game he was having, it sucks. He’s a big part of this team. We’re going to miss him. You try to play for him. He would have played with his heart out. He wears his heart on the sleeve.
“You go out and do the same thing for him and play with that intensity and the love of the game he has. You just try to do your best, it’s not easy. That’s my guy. We came in at the same time. Anything he was going through, I feel like I could go to him. He was the light in the receiving room, he was the light, for the entire team. Hopefully, I can see him and talk to him soon. He’s going to fight back. He’s going to come back even stronger like he did this year. It’s only a matter of time.”
Now, the Texans have a football game Wednesday against the Ravens, the team that ended their season during the AFC divisional round a year ago.
“We’ll figure that out,” Stroud said. “The easy answer is to tell you something that will make you feel nice. It’s not the truth right now. The truth is it’s not easy seeing your brother go down like that. We’ll have to go in there and get recovery and get ready for Wednesday because it’s another big-time opponent, another great team, another playoff atmosphere on Christmas Day. What more could you ask for? But, right now, our thoughts and our focus is on Tank.”
NOTES: The Texans didn’t practice Sunday, but posted an estimated injury report on what players’ participation would have been had they gotten on the practice field.
Not practicing, Dell, of course, along with Ward and Mason along with defensive end Will Anderson Jr. due to a hand injury, defensive tackle Foley Fatukasi because of a foot injury that kept him out against Kansas City and left guard Juice Scruggs, whose injured foot is making progress.
Rookie tight end Cade Stover, who traveled with the Texans for the Kansas City game one week after undergoing an emergency appendectomy, was listed as limited in what can only be interpreted as a positive update.
And wide receiver John Metchie III, one of the candidate to potentially step in for Dell, was listed as limited with a shoulder injury that kept him out against the Chiefs.
Starting linebacker Christian Harris, who had a sack on Patrick Mahomes after injuring his ankle late last week and being listed as questionable, was listed as limited along with defensive end Denico Autry, who has been dealing with a lingering knee injury all season.
Backup offensive lineman Nick Broeker participated fully with a hand injury.
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