Joe Mixon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Joe Mixon

Mixon with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2019
No. 28 – Houston Texans
Position:	Running back
Personal information
Born:	(1996-07-24) July 24, 1996 (age 29) Oakley, California, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school:	Freedom (Oakley)
College:	Oklahoma (2014–2016)
NFL Draft:	2017 / Round: 2 / Pick: 48
Career history
Cincinnati Bengals (2017–2023) Houston Texans (2024–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
2× Pro Bowl (2021, 2024) First-team All-Big 12 (2016)
Career NFL statistics as of 2024
Rushing yards: 7,428 Rushing average: 4.1 Rushing touchdowns: 60 Receptions: 319 Receiving yards: 2,448 Receiving touchdowns: 14
Player stats at PFR

Joseph Tyler Mixon (born July 24, 1996) is an American professional football running back who plays for the Houston Texans in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, Mixon played college football for the Oklahoma Sooners. He was recognized as a first-team All-Big 12 player in 2016. The Cincinnati Bengals chose him in the second round of the 2017 NFL draft.

Early Life and High School Football

Joe Mixon grew up in Oakley, California. He went to Freedom High School, where he was a star in both football and basketball. For the Falcons football team, he was a starting running back for three years.

High School Football Achievements

As a sophomore, Mixon ran for 1,134 yards and scored 13 touchdowns. In his junior year, he gained 1,443 rushing yards and scored 21 touchdowns. During his final year, he rushed for 1,704 yards and scored 23 touchdowns.

High School Basketball

Mixon also played 16 basketball games for the Falcons. He averaged 12.2 points per game. His team had a great season, winning 22 games and losing only two.

Choosing a College Team

Experts like Rivals.com rated Mixon as a five-star recruit, meaning he was one of the best high school running backs in the country. He received 47 offers from different colleges. In January 2014, he decided to play college football for the University of Oklahoma. He chose Oklahoma over other top schools like Alabama and UCLA.

College Football Career

Joe Mixon played college football for the University of Oklahoma from 2014 to 2016.

First Year at Oklahoma (2014)

Mixon was suspended from the Oklahoma football team for the 2014 season due to an off-field incident.

Redshirt Freshman Season (2015)

In 2015, Mixon played in all 12 games, starting three of them. This was his redshirt freshman year. In his very first game, he had an impressive 76-yard touchdown reception. This was the longest catch ever by a freshman running back for the Sooners.

He also ran for 27 yards on five carries against Akron. Later in the season, against Texas Tech, he rushed for 154 yards and two touchdowns. In the big rivalry game against Oklahoma State, he gained 136 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns.

Oklahoma made it to the College Football Playoff in 2015. In the semifinals against Clemson in the Orange Bowl, Mixon had limited yards, and Oklahoma lost the game. For the 2015 regular season, he rushed for 749 yards and seven touchdowns. He also caught 25 passes for 345 yards and four touchdowns.

Sophomore Season (2016)

Mixon started the 2016 season with 40 rushing yards and a touchdown against Houston. In the next game, he rushed for 117 yards in a big 59–17 win over Louisiana–Monroe.

On October 22, Mixon had an amazing game against Texas Tech. He rushed for 263 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 114 yards and three receiving touchdowns. This was his best college game, helping Oklahoma win 66–59. After this game, he scored at least one rushing touchdown in six straight games.

In the Sugar Bowl on January 2, Mixon rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 89 receiving yards, helping Oklahoma win against Auburn. After the 2016 season, Mixon decided to leave college early and enter the 2017 NFL draft.

College Statistics Overview

Professional Football Career

Joining the NFL

Before the 2017 NFL Draft, some experts thought Mixon was a very talented player. However, due to an incident that happened before he joined the NFL, some teams had concerns about his character. The NFL did not invite him to the NFL Scouting Combine. However, the Cincinnati Bengals met with him to learn more. Mixon performed well at Oklahoma's "Pro Day," where scouts could watch him.

The Bengals selected Mixon in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was the fourth running back chosen that year. On June 2, 2017, Mixon signed a four-year contract with the Bengals.

Cincinnati Bengals (2017–2023)

2017 Season

Mixon made his NFL debut on September 10, 2017, against the Baltimore Ravens. In Week 5, he scored his first NFL rushing touchdown against the Buffalo Bills. In Week 8, he had over 100 total yards (rushing and receiving) for the first time against the Indianapolis Colts. Mixon finished his rookie season with 626 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns. He also had 30 catches for 287 receiving yards.

2018 Season

Mixon started the 2018 season strong with 95 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Colts. In Week 8, he rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This was his second game with multiple touchdowns. In Week 15, he rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns against the Oakland Raiders. Mixon led the AFC in rushing yards with 1,168 yards that season. He also scored eight rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown.

2019 Season

Mixon playing against the Cleveland Browns in 2019

In Week 10, Mixon rushed for a season-high 114 yards against the Ravens. He scored his first rushing touchdown of the season in Week 11 against the Raiders. In Week 14, he had 146 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Browns. Mixon finished the 2019 season with 1,137 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. He also had 35 catches for 287 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.

2020 Season

On September 1, 2020, Mixon signed a new four-year contract with the Bengals. In Week 4, he had a fantastic game against the Jaguars, rushing for 151 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught a receiving touchdown. For this performance, Mixon was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week. He later suffered a foot injury and missed the rest of the season. Mixon finished the 2020 season with 428 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in six games.

2021 Season

Mixon had a great start to the 2021 season with 127 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings. In Week 11, he rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns against the Las Vegas Raiders. The next week, he had 165 rushing yards and two touchdowns against the Pittsburgh Steelers, earning him another AFC Offensive Player of the Week award.

In December, Mixon was chosen for his first Pro Bowl. He was the first Bengals running back to make the Pro Bowl since 2004. Mixon finished the 2021 season with a career-high 1,205 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. He also had 42 catches for 314 receiving yards and 3 receiving touchdowns. His 13 rushing touchdowns were the most by a Bengals player since 1988.

In Super Bowl LVI, Mixon rushed for 72 yards. He also threw his first career pass, a 6-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins. This made him only the third running back in NFL history to throw a touchdown in the Super Bowl. The Bengals lost the game to the Los Angeles Rams.

2022 Season

In the Bengals' first game of 2022, Mixon had 145 total yards against the Steelers. In Week 9 against the Carolina Panthers, Mixon had an incredible game. He rushed for 153 yards, had 58 receiving yards, and scored a career-high and franchise record five touchdowns. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for this performance. Mixon finished the 2022 season with 814 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. He also had 60 catches for 441 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. In the playoffs, he rushed for 105 yards and a touchdown against the Bills.

2023 Season

Mixon started the 2023 season by changing his contract to be more helpful for the team. He scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams. In Week 8, he had his first game with over 100 combined yards against the San Francisco 49ers. He scored two touchdowns in Week 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mixon finished the 2023 season with 1,034 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns. He became the third-highest rushing leader in Bengals history. He was also chosen as a first alternate for the Pro Bowl.

Houston Texans (2024–present)

On March 13, 2024, Mixon was traded to the Houston Texans. The next day, he signed a new three-year contract with the Texans. In his first game with the Texans on September 8, Mixon had 159 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Colts. This was his third-highest rushing total in a single game. He earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week for this game.

Mixon missed three games due to an ankle injury. In his return in Week 6, he had 132 total yards and two touchdowns against the Patriots. In the following game against the Packers, he rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns. He continued to score touchdowns in his next three games, rushing for over 100 yards in two of them. In Week 11 against the Cowboys, he rushed for 109 yards and three touchdowns.

In Week 13 against the Jaguars, Mixon made NFL history. He became the only player to have at least 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in six straight road games. He finished the 2024 season with 1,016 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. He also had 36 catches for 309 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown. In the Wild Card Round of the playoffs, he rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats

Postseason Stats