Texans’ Tank Dell suffers ‘significant’ knee injury on TD catch

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Houston Texans wideout Tank Dell was carted off the sector with what coach DeMeco Ryans referred to as a “vital” knee harm after he caught a landing move throughout Saturday’s 27-19 loss to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.

Dell was taken to College of Kansas Hospital, a Degree 1 trauma heart about 12 miles from Arrowhead Stadium. Ryans mentioned Sunday that Dell was flying again to Houston however nonetheless set to satisfy with docs for analysis.

A supply instructed ESPN that Dell dislocated his kneecap, confirming an NFL Community report. Another potential accidents to the knee weren’t instantly recognized.

On the Texans’ first possession of the second half, quarterback C.J. Stroud threw a 30-yard landing move to Dell to chop Kansas Metropolis’s result in 17-16. However on the reception, Texans wideout Jared Wayne collided with Dell’s decrease leg deep ultimately zone, and Dell instantly grabbed his leg however in any other case barely moved.

The Texans hovered round Dell, and some gamers broke into tears earlier than his leg was positioned in an air forged and he was lifted into the again of the cart. The second-year wideout out of Houston was taking part in a significant function towards the Chiefs, as he had a team-high 98 yards on seven catches with the landing.

“It hurts to see him go down like that,” Ryans mentioned Saturday. “He was having a improbable sport.”

Houston had three possessions after Dell was damage and scored solely three factors. The unit acquired the ball with 5:13 left and trailing 27-19, however after two unfavorable performs, Stroud was sacked on third down, resulting in a punt. The Chiefs’ offense subsequently picked up a number of first downs and ran out the clock.

Stroud, who shed tears after the harm, despatched out his prayers to Dell postgame.

“It is not simple seeing your brother go down like that,” Stroud mentioned. “I am simply tore up.

“However on the similar time, I acquired to be robust for him. For something, whether or not it goes left or proper, up or down, I’ve to reward my Lord and savior. It is not simple, however after [the injury], I attempt to use it as motivation; it is not simple to only let it go. That is my greatest good friend. It is not simple to maneuver on and simply hold taking part in. I attempted to do the perfect that I might. My teammates helped me up, Joe [Mixon] helped me up and Dalton [Schultz]. I recognize the blokes simply speaking to me as a result of I used to be going by means of it.”

Texans wideout Nico Collins, who completed with seven catches for 60 yards, struggled to search out phrases to specific his feelings postgame.

“That s— hurts. It hurts. We all know how a lot he meant to this workforce,” Collins mentioned of Dell. “However shedding one among your brothers, man, it hurts. Speedy restoration for my canine. Mentally, he is going by means of it, however now we have to maintain stepping, hold climbing for him.”

Dell’s rookie season in 2023 was reduce brief after he suffered a damaged leg in an early-December sport towards the Denver Broncos. In late April, he was shot at a personal occasion in Sanford, Florida, the place authorities mentioned a teenage gunman injured 10 folks after an altercation. Dell’s wound was minor, and he was launched from the hospital shortly after the taking pictures.

Dell has 667 receiving yards and three touchdowns on the season.

Dell’s harm was the third main decrease leg harm for the Texans on the afternoon. Guard Shaq Mason suffered a knee harm throughout a pileup within the first quarter. He limped off however was dominated out shortly afterward. Security Jimmie Ward injured a foot within the second quarter and was carted off.

The Texans have solely three full days to get better from the loss, as they are going to host the Baltimore Ravens on Christmas Day.