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DJ Bien-Aime, ESPN
HOUSTON — Texans wide receiver Stefon Diggs has a torn ACL and is eligible for the remainder of the season, educator DeMeco Ryans announced Tuesday.
Ryans called Diggs’ trauma a “blow for us,” as the two-time All-Pro ranked seventh in the NFL in receptions (47) this season and was second on the Texans in receiving yards (496).
“It hurts our team to hear that news. He has been a very important part of our team and everything he contributed, not only on the field, but also off the field. The energy, the leader, the way he worked every days”. Ryans stated. “I’ve got to pick up the slack. A lot of guys have to step up and pick up the slack. I’m definitely praying for him.”
Diggs tore his ACL on a non-contact play in Houston’s 23-20 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. With 2:01 left in the third quarter, quarterback CJ Stroud completed a 4-yard pass to running back Joe Mixon. But during the games, Diggs walked down a path and grabbed his right knee, the closest one sitting on the grass. He walked away with his personal energy and did not return. He completed the game with five receptions for a team-high 81 yards.
The Texans traded a 2025 second-round pick to Buffalo Expenses to acquire Diggs during the offseason, and Stroud immediately benefited from his presence. Stroud had a passer rating of 104 and finished 73% of his passes when focusing on Diggs.
Houston loses Diggs at a time when the team is already without big receiver Nico Collins, who once led the NFL in receiving yards (567) through the first six weeks. Collins will be out for at least one more matchup and then will be injured with hamstring trauma in Class 5.
“Yes man, [Diggs’ injury] It sucks. It’s not easy,” Stroud said. “You try to think positively, but it’s not a bunch of positive thoughts. And I really feel bad for him.”
Now the Texans will continue facing the Untouched York Jets on Thursday night without their top two receivers. Receivers expected to step up in Diggs’ park will likely be Tank Dell, Robert Timbers, Xavier Hutchinson and John Metchie III.
Dell ranks third on the Texans in routes run (214), receiving yards (229) and touchdowns (2). Any of his touchdowns came after Collins was injured. However, he hasn’t produced as well as he did in his rookie week, when he was old for 1,205 yards before breaking his leg in December. At the end of the season, he averaged 70 receiving yards per game until Class 13, but this season, he is averaging just 32 yards.
“Once you lose one of your star players, everyone has to step up,” Dell said. “Even if you’re one of the star players, you still have to step up and do more and produce more. I know all of us are more than capable of doing that. So we’re going to try to go out and make plays.”
Regardless of who steps up to Diggs’ park, the Texans will lean toward their quick attack. Mixon is averaging 100.6 rushing yards per game, which ranks third in the NFL. He can help keep the Texans out of bad situations when they overcome their occasional problems in the passing game due to pass coverage: Stroud has been the fifth most harassed (40.7%) this season.
The offense averages 26.8 points when Mixon plays, compared to just 18 when he missed three games with ankle trauma.
“It’s definitely a very unfortunate situation for him, we’re all here to support him,” Mixon told ESPN. “At the end of the day, the most important thing is that God put you under his protection, so you’re in good hands. In terms of a leadership role, that’s what I’m brought here for roles like this. I’m going to continue to do What I do best, at the end of the day, is just one goal, and I say ultimately, it’s winning.”
Diggs will be a sovereign agent next season in which the Texans renewed his word of honor after the signing. Houston took Diggs’ $3.5 million insured for the 2025 season and put it on his word of honor for 2024, giving him $22.52 million in insured cash this week.
The Related Press contributed to this file.
