HOUSTON – One of the most dynamic rookies in the NFL and dangerous wide receivers in the league, Texans rookie wide receiver Tank Dell underwent successful surgery Monday to repair a broken left fibula.
“Went great,” a league source said. “Tank will be back stronger than ever.
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Dell will be placed on injured reserve, officially ending his season.
And the Texans are looking forward to having the former third-round draft pick back as Dell is expected to make a full recovery for their offseason program. Dell broke the part of the fibula closer to the ankle joint while blocking for running back Dameon Pierce on a touchdown run Sunday and he was carted off the field during a 22-17 win over the Denver Broncos. X-rays conducted during the game confirmed the initial diagnosis of the broken lower leg bone, as reported by KPRC 2.
“Unfortunate for Tank, he’ll be out for the rest of the season,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said Monday. “He had a successful surgery this morning, so onto a speedy recovery. Our prayers are with Tank, our thoughts are with him. He’s been such an inspiration for our team, just an incredible young man.
“Happy for the season he has had as a rookie and the impact that he has as a person, as a player for our organization. Expect to get him back before next offseason program.”
It will be extremely difficult to replace Dell’s production and impact as a versatile wide receiver who’s also a capable punt returner.
Dell finished his outstanding season with 47 catches for 709 yards and seven touchdowns. He was on track for 73 catches, 1,096 yards and 11 touchdowns. Dell previously broke tight end Owen Daniels’ rookie franchise record for touchdown catches.
Without Dell, the Texans will lean heavily on leading wide receiver Nico Collins. He’s in the midst of a career-best season with 59 receptions for 991 yards and s ix touchdowns. Tight end Dalton Schultz, when he returns from a hamstring injury, is another strong option for rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. Schultz has 40 catches for 5455 yards and five touchdowns.
Wide receivers Noah Brown (21 catches 439 yards, one score), Robert Woods (30 catches, 336 yards, one touchdown), John Metchie III (12 catches for 138 yards) and Xavier Hutchinson will need to contribute more. Steven Sims is an option to be promoted from the practice squad once Dell is placed on injured reserve.
“No one replaces Tank, Tank is his own man,” Ryans said. “Nobody replaces Tank, but everybody around him just has to step up and just do their part – be their best in whatever role, whatever area we ask them to. We just ask them to be their best. It takes everyone. When you lose a guy who brings that emotional lift to your team, it’s going to take everyone to dig a little deeper and pick it up and do a little bit better.”
Dell, who’s one of the smallest players in the NFL at 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, got his leg caught underneath a pile of much larger bodies while blocking for Pierce.
“I’m lost for words, I honestly don’t know what to say,” Stroud said. “You see your brother put in so much work and be so helpful, and one thing about Tank he’s very unselfish. To see him go out, the game of football is tough. We fight our tails off every day to make people happy. We put our bodies on the line, time and time again. To see that happen, it’s cold. It’s not easy. I got to be there for him. More so than anything, forget football, Tank as a person, I know it’s going to be tough for him to get out of that.
“I’m hurt. I can’t sugarcoat it. I can’t come up here, lie and say we’ll be all right. No, it’s not. I love him to death. I told him that. Seven and three (their jersey numbers) will be a great, great duo for the next couple years, when he gets back. I love my brother to death, I’m praying for him, and I’m here for him no matter what.”
Dell could be heard yelling when the injury happened.
“Yeah, he’ll bounce back,” Pro Bowl left tackle Laremy Tunsil said. “I feel sorry for him, man. He was having a good year. The next-man-up mentality, very sad to say.”
Stroud passed it 12 times to Collins, the Texans’ leading receiver, and he caught nine passes for a career-high 191 yards and the game-winning touchdown.
When Dell got hurt, NRG Stadium became silent and his teammates knelt in prayer.
“We get in the end zone and there’s just a big pile up there, just going out to check on Tank there who you see is obviously in some pain,” Ryans said. “You hate to see any player down in that manner. Just unfortunate to see him go out that way. Tank, he’s been tough for us, man. Tough blocking in the run game.
“Everybody sees the explosives that he’s had in the passing game, but just an unselfish player that did a ton for our offensive production. It’s still unfortunate. Hate to lose him and just really sad to see him. He was having such a great year. One of the best years that you’ve seen from a rookie at the receiver position, so just unfortunate to lose him.”
At 7-5, the Texans are a legitimate contender in the ultra-crowded AFC playoff race.
Without Dell, they’ll need a lot more production from everyone to make up for his loss.
“You see the hard work he put in every single day, and to come out like that, it hurt,” Collins said. “I can’t really say much on it. Hate to see one of our brothers go down like that. He will be missed, most definitely. So, now it’s time to step up, everybody.
“We can’t skip a beat. When one goes down, we all need to step up and continue to be us. Hate to see my dawg go down like that, but we’ve got to keep going.”
For Stroud, this injury was reminiscent of how center Jarrett Patterson was placed on injured reserve with a broken fibula. Stroud said: “I send 1,000 angels to Tank right now.’
As emotional and important as the win was to the Texans’ turnaround from last season from a 3-13-1 record a year ago, Dell’s energy and positive attitude were unique traits that set him apart. Not having him on the field is extremely difficult for the Texans to absorb.
“Really hurt us losing Tank,” Ryans said. “Tank has been very valuable to our team. He has provided a spark to our team each and every week that he’s on the field. Everybody is just waiting for that moment. You know it’s going to happen when he shows up and he makes an explosive play for us or he’s scoring a touchdown.
“So, to lose Tank there with a leg injury it hurts our team really because of what he means to our team. Not only on the field, but off the field Tank always has a huge smile on his face, always full of energy. Just really hurts losing Tank.”
Dell will devote himself to getting healthy again and making his second NFL season even better than his first one.
“That’s my dawg, he’s going to be all right,” tight end Brevin Jordan said. “He’s a soldier. He’s a man of Christ. He’s going to be good, he’s going to get back to work.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.