Joe Mixon says career is over after missing 2025 season

Joe Mixon has told former Cincinnati Bengals teammates his NFL career is over after missing the entire 2025 season with a foot injury, according to reporting from KPRC-2 Houston's Aaron Wilson. A source close to Mixon still sees "some hope" of a return, but Wilson said he thinks it is probably finished.

Key Takeaways

• Joe Mixon told former Bengals teammates he is not going to play football anymore, per Aaron Wilson.
• He missed all of 2025 with a foot injury that required surgery and was released by the Houston Texans in March.
• Wilson reported blood-flow issues in the injured foot and said Mixon recently underwent another surgery.
• As of mid-July 2026, Mixon remained an unsigned free agent and fell off ESPN's top positional rankings.

What did Joe Mixon tell former teammates about his career?

According to Bleacher Report, citing Wilson's Tuesday livestream, Mixon has told friends who play for the Bengals that he will not play football anymore.

NBC Sports relayed the same report: Wilson said Mixon told former Bengals teammates "his career is over." That is the clearest signal yet on where the veteran running back stands after a lost year.

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Why does Joe Mixon's 2025 foot injury still matter now?

Mixon last played in 2024 with Houston. He missed the entire 2025 season after a foot injury that necessitated surgery, then was released by the Texans in March.

NBC Sports noted the Texans appeared to be in the dark during the process and never offered a clear timeline on if or when he would return. Wilson added that Mixon has dealt with blood-flow problems in the injured foot and recently had another surgery.

Even with a source close to Mixon floating "some hope," Wilson said a comeback looks unlikely. NBC Sports also said there has been no indication any return would happen this year.

Is Joe Mixon still a free-agent option for NFL teams?

Bengals Wire reported Mixon remained unsigned as of July 17, 2026, as rookies began arriving at training camps. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler also dropped him from a top-10 positional rankings list after the lost season and Houston release.

In 2024, Mixon ran for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns on 4.1 yards per carry over 14 games with the Texans, one of the strongest stretches of his career. That production is why interest briefly lingered—until the foot setbacks and latest comments to former teammates.

Reports around his release conflicted on whether Mixon requested his release or whether his career was simply "in doubt" because of injuries. Either way, the latest Wilson reporting points toward an ending rather than a midseason comeback.

Unless Mixon's health picture changes publicly, the Joe Mixon story has shifted from roster rumor to career farewell.