Todd Gurley knows what it takes to be effective on the ground. His resume for breaking down film on tailbacks speaks for itself.
Most recently, the former Offensive Player of the Year listed his top running backs on the ’25/10 Podcast’ with LeSean McCoy and DeSean Jackson. While Christian McCaffery and Derrick Henry were the headliners, one member of the Houston Texans’ backfield also made the cut.
“I’m gonna put Joe Mixon in there,” Gurley said. “His situation was kind of the same as mine. You can see how they exited him out. [Cincinnati] is trying to throw the ball more. I’m like, ‘damn man, give that guy the rock.’ ”
@TG3II says he has @Joe_MainMixon in his top 5.
References his year last year in Cincy where “they exited him out”: GIVE THAT MAN THE ROCK 🗣️
Via the @2510show pic.twitter.com/PFhselJjDx
— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) June 28, 2024
Acquired by the Texans this offseason for a seventh-round pick, Mixon nearly followed a similar path to Gurley once the passing attack in Cincinnati became the team’s backbone. Gurley, a two-time first-team All-Pro, was released after the 2019 season due to a lingering knee issue and an uptick on the air approach from Sean McVay.
He spent one season with the Atlanta Falcons before officially retiring in 2022.
Mixon, a former second-round pick out of Oklahoma in 2017, isn’t close to being done due to injury. He’s still capable of being one of the league’s more consistent runners due to his balanced role on the ground and through the air.
Since 2017, Mixon ranks seventh in (239), receiving yards (1,824) and rushing scores (49) among tailbacks. He’s put together four 1,000-yard campaigns while averaging 4.1 yards per career attempt.
The Texans believe Mixon’s best years are still ahead, extending him on a three-year deal worth $27 million after the trade. Last season, Houston struggled to find any traction on the ground outside of Devin Singletary, ranking bottom five in the run game.
Gurley might be onto something with Mixon’s limited role as a runner in Cincinnati, but could it be more of the same in Houston with reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year C.J. Stroud? Perhaps, but the former No. 2 pick said it’s his job to find the ideal targets.
That includes Mixon, who believes “everyone will eat” in an offense featuring three Pro Bowl-caliber receivers and tight end Dalton Schultz.
“I know for a fact that he will be using all of my skill set,” Mixon said. “With the weapons that we have, man, it is a hell of a thing.”