The Houston Texans will have the opportunity to avenge their Week 16 loss against the Kansas City Chiefs when the two sides meet in the Divisional Round on Saturday. But Tank Dell, who took a serious blow to his knee in the loss, won’t be able to make a mark.
After losing veteran WR Stefon Diggs to an ACL injury in Week 8, the Texans also had to say goodbye to receiver Dell for the rest of the season.
Why Isn’t Tank Dell Playing in the Playoffs?
The Texans met the Chiefs in Week 16. The two teams were separated by seven points when Dell soared to catch a pass, scoring a touchdown — an extra point away from tying it up. His teammate, Jared Wayne, caught him in the back of the leg along with a Kansas City defender, and a trio of bodies crashed to the ground.
Dell managed to hold onto the touchdown, but he stayed down and appeared to be in a great deal of pain before being carted off the field as the stadium was hushed.
Dell’s teammates took a knee and then gathered around him as he was lifted onto the cart. His teammates looked emotional as they stood around him as he was taken from the field. Stroud looked particularly distressed as he was comforted by his teammates and head coach DeMeco Ryans.
Here’s the play where Tank Dell was injuredpic.twitter.com/wlILO6gPB9
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) December 21, 2024
Eventually, Ryans revealed that Dell’s diagnosis was a dislocated kneecap and torn ACL. However, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 reported that Dell also tore his medial collateral and lateral collateral ligaments as well as damaging his meniscus.
“It’s tough to see guys get injured, the work that guys put in, how much they put their bodies on the line to play this game,” Ryans said. “It’s deeper than football. We are talking about real people who have real emotions and real feelings who are going through a tough time right now. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in that situation.”
When Will Dell Return From Injury?
After progressing to the Divisional Round with a win over the Chargers at home, the Texans will travel to Kansas City. Houston must give it their all if they want to knock off Patrick Mahomes and Co. It’s going to be an insanely difficult task with both Diggs and Dell on the sidelines.
Diggs’ 2024 is already over, and Dell’s injury could cost him next season due to the timing and severity of the injury. Dell playing in the 2025 season “is regarded as an extremely unlikely scenario,” according to Wilson. He added that Dell will need multiple surgeries and has “a long, grueling road of recovery ahead of him.”
Former NFL team doctor David Chao and owner of Sports Injury Central believes the injury is potentially career-threatening.
“This is a much more difficult recovery than just an ACL, it’s a knee dislocation with three of four major ligaments torn and it’s a long road back,” Dr. Chao told KPRC 2. “Unfortunately, it has to be considered career-threatening, but we all hope not career-ending. Surgery is usually staged with this severe an injury. Whatever you can repair, you repair now, the MCL and LCL.
“The ACL is typically a reconstruction and you delay that until later when swelling goes down and there’s more mobility.
“A typical recovery timetable, it would be great if he could participate at some point next season, but it’s far from guaranteed he will play at any point next season. It’s similar to what happened with Browns running back Nick Chubb. They’re both knee dislocations, but not all knee dislocations are the same.
“This is a much more complicated surgery process than an isolated ACL and, as such, it’s going to be multiple surgeries and lots of follow-up. As much as this is a devastating injury, Nick Chubb did return to play his next season. Let’s hope for a similar good outcome for Tank Dell.”
How Will Dell’s Absence Impact the Texans’ Postseason?
The touchdown catch took Dell to 98 yards and a score on six receptions (seven targets). He finished the season with 51 receptions for 667 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games.
It has been a lesser season for Dell than his rookie year when he averaged 9.5 yards per target and 64.5 yards per game. Dell also scored seven touchdowns as a rookie, adding another three in 2024.
Dell was important in the Texans’ 10-7 season. With both wide receivers on injured reserve, he had emerged as a key part of Houston’s offense. His production wavered, but his rapport with Stroud remained meaningful.
As such, the Texans’ chances in the postseason indeed took a significant hit with their receiver’s season-ending injury. They’ll hope for a quick recovery for their rising star and for the Stroud-Collins to dominate in his absence.
