Should you’ve been paying consideration during the last decade, you recognize I really like a superb “old saying”. The one for as we speak is:
”Your finest skill is your availability”
When an NFL crew indicators a participant, notably a starter, the entire crew depends on that participant to be out there to do their half. However, the NFL is a brutal recreation, and the harm bug bites each participant. Some more durable than others.
Digital journalist, Holly Sandrove, lately dove into the information and amassed an attention-grabbing listing of simply how a lot NFL groups spent on unavailable, injured gamers in 2025. And, you guessed it, the Texans are prominently featured.
Holly Sandrove at On line casino Guru
The Arizona Cardinals led the NFL in injured gamers spending final season, totaling $42.4m in wage tied to the price of injured gamers.
Groups spent greater than $540m on injured gamers in 2025/26, a 23.3% enhance year-over-year and exhibiting the rising monetary impression of accidents within the NFL.
The Jacksonville Jaguars ranked lowest within the league for injured spending, with simply $4.08m, probably the most environment friendly determine throughout all 32 groups.
Three of the 4 groups to succeed in the Convention Championship Video games ranked within the NFL’s backside half for injury-related spending in 2025/26.
New York Jets offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker was the NFL’s most costly injured participant final season, accounting for $15.3 million in injury-related prices.
Division rival Jacksonville ranked lowest, whereas the Tennessee Titans have been third highest. Seeing the place they landed at yr’s finish, with the Glitter Kitties close to the highest and the Not-The-Oilers backside feeding, exhibits a reasonably sturdy correlation between injured cash and total success.
Subsequent up because the second highest spender on injured gamers final season is the Tennessee Titans at over $29.5m. They have been eradicated from playoff competition for the fourth consecutive season in week 13 after shedding to the archrival Jacksonville Jaguars, who discovered themselves on the opposite aspect of the harm price rating having spent the least of any NFL crew final season. Two Titans gamers (L’Jarius Sneed & Calvin Ridley) ranked among the many NFL’s 10 most costly injured gamers final season, combining for almost $21m in harm prices, equal to 71% of the Titans’ whole crew harm price.
Nonetheless, the Houston Texans someway bucked that development, touchdown on the fallacious finish of the cash pool however nonetheless successful the division.
As you seemingly anticipate, Joe “Where’s Waldo” Mixon dominated the Texans injured cash listing, counting $7mil in opposition to the full. Tank Dell was the following highest notable participant, with a $1.2 mil hit in opposition to these battle purple bucks.
And therein lies the reply as to how Houston is the exception to the rule that injured cash interprets to on-field success or lack thereof. Whenever you take away Mixon’s paycheck, H-City falls right down to the center of the pack in misplaced wages. General, the core starters managed to stay pretty wholesome.
Kudos to Mike Eubanks, the Texans energy and conditioning coach for protecting this crew wholesome final season. To not point out the destiny and/or dumb luck that actually helps or hinders rosters. Say what you’ll about quarterback C.J. Stroud’s capabilities, common supervisor Nick Caserio’s offensive line rebuild, the lights-out protection or offensive coordinator Nick Caley’s epic struggles in operating a aggressive offense. If the harm bug bites down on the 2026 Texans, they usually discover themselves close to the highest of this listing this time subsequent yr, odds are none of us are going to be pleased with the outcomes of the 2026 season.
Talking of dumb luck, one squat in coaching allegedly took out E.J. Pace. It’s not simply vicious on-field hits that gamers need to dodge, however “digging deep” within the weight room or on the apply discipline can take you out, too.
So as to add to the harm worries, Clayton Anderson lately put a highlight on Aaron Wilson’s considerations about concussions, particularly cognitive accidents to C.J. Stroud.
Whereas the NFL has, at worst, made an effort to look they’re doing their finest to mitigate concussions and the long run results, it’s not sufficient. By its very nature, the NFL will proceed to reap concussions at an alarming fee – it’s not a matter of if, however when, the following one takes down a Texan.
Fortunately, there truly is a spotlight to cut back the variety of mind accidents. Sadly, it doesn’t appear to be working:
The NFL is dealing with a regarding subject because the variety of concussions retains rising, even with new security measures in place. Within the 2025 season, there was an all-time excessive of 538 concussion checks throughout video games, together with 26 medical breaks. Regardless of having banned seven varieties of helmets final yr, the league is now ramping up its efforts to sort out this drawback.
As reported by Entrance Workplace Sports activities, the NFL found that 44% of concussions throughout video games are actually attributable to hits to the face masks, which is a giant leap from 29% again in 2015. This variation has grabbed the eye of prime officers.
The subject of concussions apart, the variety of key accidents within the final Texans recreation of 2025 actually impacted the end result. And it’s only one extra issue within the crew’s march towards Tremendous Bowl glory.
Due to Max Barlow and Legend Media for sending over the information. For additional data on how the above harm spend stats have been pulled, try the unique publish by Sandrove, right here.
