HOUSTON \u2013 The devastating knee injury Texans wide receiver Tank Dell suffered initially threatened his football career.<\/p>\n
Flash forward two years later and Dell is making a strong recovery from a dislocated knee and torn anterior cruciate, medical collateral and lateral collateral ligaments. After undergoing two surgeries performed by Dr. James Andrews and missing the entire season last year, after getting hurt in December 2024 while catching a touchdown pass against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium, Dell is making tangible progress.<\/p>\n
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans addressed Dell\u2019s medical outlook during the NFL owners meetings and emphasized that the former University of Houston star won\u2019t be rushed back into organized team activities.<\/p>\n
Texans general manager Nick Caserio said Monday that the team will evaluate where Dell stands after spring workouts to determine his activity level at training camp. He was noncommittal on a timeline.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith Tank, honestly, it\u2019s probably a day-to-day, we\u2019ll kind of see where he is,\u201d Caserio said. \u201cProbably have a better idea as we get through the spring of what his availability is going to be in training camp. He\u2019s been here pretty religiously, since he\u2019s been able to do more once he\u2019s gotten out of the rehab stage.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dell has fought through all of the doubt and frustration of an injury that interrupted the dynamic start to his NFL career, leaning on faith, hard work, family, friends and coaches like Ryans to remain positive and optimistic.<\/p>\n
Dell called it the hardest year of his life.<\/p>\n
The Texans are optimistic about Dell\u2019s medical outlook, but aren\u2019t rushing the process. Dell has posted several workout videos showing himself cutting and catching passes and lifting weights as he works his way back from the injury.<\/p>\n
The Texans do expect Dell to participate in the offseason conditioning program.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cTank, he\u2019s grinding, great attitude,\u201d Ryan said during the NFL meetings at the Arizona Biltmore. \u201cDon\u2019t know if OTA\u2019s he\u2019ll be there, but I know he\u2019ll back for us at some point this year. As I told Tank, it\u2019s not a matter of getting back to OTA\u2019s just to get back, it\u2019s just a matter of getting back in a really good spot physically to where you stay there.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s the main thing. It\u2019s not about how quickly he returns. It\u2019s just about Tank returning because we saw what Tank can do: the playmaking that he provides to our entire team. Just getting him back, whenever that time is, it\u2019s going to lift our team.\u201d<\/p>\n
Caserio emphasized they won\u2019t hesitate to draft a wide receiver, but that decision won\u2019t be determined by how Dell is doing.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs far as a receiver position, if there is a receiver that we like that we feel we want to add to the team then we\u2019re going to take him independent of what\u2019s going on,\u201d Caserio said. \u201cIn the end, the competition will sort itself out. DeMeco [Ryans] and I talk about this all the time. Get them in the building, they\u2019ll figure it out. Not us. <\/p>\n
\u201cUltimately, it\u2019s going to be up to the performance of the players. We try to stay true to that and not get so, \u2018Well, we have this.\u2019 Well, honestly, that could change in a heartbeat. You always want to be prepared and have some contingencies in place, but I would say a person\u2019s individual situation doesn\u2019t necessarily correlate to, well, we have to draft this over here. If you draft it, you draft it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dell is looking forward to making a healthy return and get back to playing the game he loves.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I\u2019ve been through is something that taught me to be humble and just keep working, I\u2019m back, I\u2019m feeling good right now,\u201d Dell said hosting a shopping spree at Academy Sports and Outdoors for athletes from Boys & Girls Club of Greater Houston in honor of National Women\u2019s and Girls Sports Day. \u201cOnce the season comes, I\u2019m gonna cook up.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Running free, catching touchdown passes, bolting past coverage.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the vision for Dell. The comeback trail is being paved month by month for Dell as he continues to strengthen his surgically repaired knee after a devastating knee injury a year ago that sidelined him for the entire season.<\/p>\n
Dell tried to make a return for the end of the season as the Texans made another playoff run that ended in the divisional round, but it was regarded as too soon for him to get back out there.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was making a push, I wanted to be out there with the guys,\u201d Dell said. \u201cLast year, that football season alone, was the hardest year of my life. Just sitting out of football for a year straight. Been playing football since I was five and that was my first year I ever had to sit out of football so that was hard. I tried to make a push back, it didn\u2019t go as planned. I got time now and I\u2019ll be ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dell is rehabbing from injuries sustained while catching a touchdown in December 2024 against the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe worked very hard,\u201d Texans general manager Nick Caserio said last season. \u201cI think our performance group, they do a really good job. I would anticipate him being available for the offseason and then really April, May and June we\u2019ll probably have a better idea. Knowing Tank, he\u2019s probably cautiously optimistic that he\u2019s going to be able to go out there and be Tank Dell.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think everybody is hoping that\u2019s the case, but you never know. None of us control injuries and what happens. but I think everybody is rooting for Tank. He\u2019s worked very hard and had a great attitude. I\u2019m excited to see him out there moving around. Nobody is more excited than he is, so it will be good once we start getting on the field and getting on the grass to see what that looks like.\u201d<\/p>\n
When Dell got hurt, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud was inconsolable as he burst into tears. It was a traumatic experience for Dell and his best friend.<\/p>\n
Stroud supported Dell, just as Dell is now behind the embattled former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after he had five interceptions and five fumbles, and seven total turnovers in two playoff games. The Texans\u2019 season ended in a loss to the New England Patriots as Stroud threw a career-high four interceptions in one half at Gillette Stadium.<\/p>\n
Stroud was the subject of heavy criticism locally and nationally and on social media with lots of cruel jokes and commentary surrounding one of the most successful young quarterbacks in the league.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn every way possible, like he was there for me,\u201d Dell said of his support for Stroud. \u201cPeople can say what they want about seven, you know. They sitting on the couches just typing on the computer, typing on their phones. But everybody knows who seven is.<\/p>\n
\u201cEspecially in the facility, we know who he is. And when we get back out there with him, it\u2019s going to be special. So, we can let them say what they want about him.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dell had a good time supporting the athletes from Boys & Girls Club of Greater Houston.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s fun,\u201d Dell said. \u201cMy sister used to do sports and I just know how she felt about sports. So, it\u2019s fun to just see them have a future in sports. I feel like it\u2019s a good thing and I\u2019m excited.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
One of the biggest elements that the Texans\u2019 offense was missing all season: the presence of a dangerous slot receiver.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s because Dell missed the entire season.<\/p>\n
Dell tried to make it back for the end of this season, but the plan was always for him to spend the season sidelined after undergoing several surgeries to repair a dislocated knee.<\/p>\n
Now, Dell is poised to make a healthy comeback for the 2026 season. He has remained in good spirits throughout a long, grueling rehabilitation process.<\/p>\n
\u201cVery supportive, you know, from top to bottom,\u201d Dell said. \u201cEverybody in the facility, from the coaching staff to even our cooks in the facility, everybody was supportive of me. Praying for me, of course, keeping me in their prayers, and especially my teammates and my closest people.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The Texans missed the spark Dell provides to the offense with his outstanding route running skills and explosiveness after the catch.<\/p>\n
He has caught 98 career passes for 1,376 yards and 10 touchdowns in 25 career games. <\/p>\n
The knee injury marked the latest adversity for Dell whose dynamic rookie season was ended prematurely by a broken fibula that required surgery to repair the damage. Months later, Dell was the victim of a gunshot wound in his leg during a mass shooting in Florida<\/a> while attending a party as an innocent bystander.<\/a><\/p>\n Then, he injured his knee in Kansas City after taking over as a starter when Stefon Diggs tore his anterior cruciate ligament and caught 51 passes for 667 yards and three touchdowns.<\/p>\n Stroud, coming off an erratic performance in the playoffs against the Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers, is thrilled to have one of his best friends back for next season.<\/p>\n \u201cTank is a brother of mine, somebody who\u2019s like blood to me,\u201d Stroud said. \u201cTo see what he\u2019s gone through the last two years has been heartbreaking and he\u2019s been through a lot. But I know he\u2019s grown a lot as a person and as a young man, especially as a man of God. So, I\u2019m proud of him. The smile he continues to have on his face is contagious. <\/p>\n \u201cI think for him too, being here every day putting in the work and putting his best foot forward in some situations that were out of his control, I think is amazing to see him do that. So, I\u2019m super proud of him and I can\u2019t wait to get him on the field. You all know the connection we have.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Dell is inspirational to his teammates, including Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, man, you know, Tank, he wants to be out here,\u201d Collins said this past season. \u201cWe got to continue to keep his spirits up, tell him we out here for you. Be in his corner no matter what. You know, like nobody want to miss the game you love. It\u2019s heartbreaking, it\u2019s crushing when you can\u2019t be out there with your brothers.<\/p>\n \u201cYou see them every day and you\u2019re like, dang, I miss you bro, you know what I\u2019m saying. We know in spirit he\u2019s getting better, so we\u2019re going to go out here keep spinning it for him and make plays for him and keep his spirits up. We going to pick up where we left off. He\u2019s in great spirits, though.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n