One of the most serious injuries of the 2024 NFL season has been to Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell. Dell suffered a devastating knee injury in Week 16 against the Kansas City Chiefs and spent the offseason rehabbing from multiple surgeries. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said Sunday that Dell is “in good spirits,” continuing to recover, but does not know when he will return to the field.
Dell was injured in the end zone after catching a touchdown when he collided with teammate Jared Wayne. It also dislocated his knee and tore three of the four major knee ligaments involved — the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), MCL (medial collateral ligament), and LCL (lateral collateral ligament). He also had damage to his meniscus. A multi-ligament injury of this kind is extremely rare in the NFL and is seen as career-threatening, though not necessarily career-eliminating.
A Long Road to Recovery
A former NFL team physician, Dr. David Chao, said the injury was much more than a simple ACL tear. Chao said, ‘This is a much more difficult recovery than just an ACL. “He said, ‘It’s a knee dislocation with three of four major ligaments torn.’” It’s a long road back.” As he noted, recovery is much longer than the 9 to 12 months it takes to heal from an injury that involves only one ligament.
Two surgical procedures have been done already on Dell. One will work to repair the LCL and MCL, and another will probably deal with the ACL once swelling and inflammation have subsided. “You fix what you can today and put the ACL back later once you have a more stable knee,” Chao said.
For the time being, it appears quite unlikely Dell will suit up for the 2025 NFL season. That may be, but Coach Ryan isn’t putting a firm timeline on things. Ryan said, “He’ll be back when it’s time for Tank to be back.” “There’s no set timeline. ‘When Tank is ready to be Tank, we need Tank back, and that’s good enough for me.”
Texans Prepare for Dell’s Absence
The major setback aside, Dell is still a key figure on the Texans’ future. A second round pick for 2023, before the injury the 22 year old had caught 51 passes for 667 yards and three touchdowns in his second season. He became something of a fan favorite and a key part of Houston’s offense with his speed, route running, and chemistry with quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Before his prolonged absence, the Texans retooled their group of wide receivers. After signing veterans Justin Watson and Braxton Berrios, two draft picks – Iowa State receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel – they traded for Christian Kirk. All of this is aimed at keeping offensive balance and keeping Dell off the floor without it being a pressure situation.
What’s Next for Dell?
Rehab, mobility, and long-term stability are now the focus. While the injury was clearly bad, reports indicate Dell is making progress, both mentally and physically. ‘Ryans also talked about his attitude and his commitment to healing, and said he’s in a really good spot.’
Fans hope to see Dell back in 2026, but the team and players are taking health and patience over a rushed return. The road Dell traveled is a reminder now of both the riskiness of the game and the resolve needed to come back stronger.
