Tank Dell injury update: Texans WR suffers gruesome knee injury on TD catch, leaving C.J. Stroud in tears

Teddy Ricketson

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Tank Dell injury update: Texans WR suffers gruesome knee injury on TD catch, leaving C.J. Stroud in tears image

Tank Dell suffered a gruesome knee injury while reeling in a touchdown catch in the Texans' Week 16 game against the Chiefs.

The 25-year-old wide receiver came down with the ball deep in the end zone in the third quarter. After the play, other players on the field immediately called for trainers for the injured Dell.

Dell's left leg was put into a brace before he was carted off the field. His Texans teammates were visibly shaken up after the injury. Dell will not return to Saturday's game as Houston seeks a comeback win against Kansas City. 

Here are the latest updates for Dell after his leg injury.

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Tank Dell injury updates

Dell caught a third-quarter touchdown against the Chiefs in Week 16 but suffered a devastating leg injury in the process. The video of the injury is graphic but can be viewed here.

Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was shaken up from the injury. Tears streamed down his face as Dell was carted off the field, and head coach DeMeco Ryans consoled his young signal-caller on the sideline.

Texans kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn missed his first extra point of the season after the injury, making the score at 17-16 after Dell's touchdown.

Dell was taken to the nearby University of Kansas Medical Center, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Ryans said that Dell will stay in Kansas City overnight and has been diagnosed with a "significant knee injury."

Dell has been diagnosed with a dislocated knee cap. They are still determining the severity of the injury and surgery is an option.

Rapoport gave an additional update Sunday morning, reporting that the wide receiver has not yet had surgery and is considered out indefinitely for now. 

Ryans said that Dell did suffer a dislocated knee on Saturday. The wide receiver also tore his ACL, and suffered other damage. Dell is out for the remainder of this season, will have surgery and will try to be ready for next season.

Texans WR depth chart

PositionPlayer
1.Nico Collins
2.Stefon Diggs -- IR, Torn ACL
3. Tank Dell -- Out, Knee
4.John Metchie III -- Out, Shoulder
5.Robert Woods
6.Xavier Hutchinson

Houston's wide receiver room keeps getting hit by injuries. Collins missed five games earlier this season with an injury, but has been able to return. Diggs played in eight games before tearing his ACL and he is done for the year. Dell's injury looks bad, and it could be season ending. The wide receiver only played in 11 games in his rookie season last year due to suffering a fractured leg. 

Texans remaining schedule

WeekOpponent
17vs. Ravens
18at Titans

Houston has already locked down the AFC South so are guaranteed a top four seed in the AFC playoff picture. Even if the Texans lose their final two games, they cannot fall below the No. 4 seed. 

Teddy Ricketson

Teddy Ricketson Photo

Teddy Ricketson is a Digital Content Producer at The Sporting News. He joined the team in 2024 after spending the last three years writing for Vox Media as part of its DK Nation/Network team. Teddy does his best to support the South Carolina Gamecocks and Carolina Panthers, but tends to have more fun cheering on the Atlanta Braves. In his free time, he loves spending time with his wife, Brooke, and their two dogs, Bo and Hootie.