Joe Mixon: From College Standout to NFL Star

Joseph Tyler Mixon, born on July 24, 1996, is an American professional football running back who currently plays for the Houston Texans in the National Football League (NFL). His journey to the NFL began with a successful college career at the University of Oklahoma, where he showcased his exceptional talent and earned recognition as one of the top running backs in the nation.

Early Years and High School Career

Joe Mixon grew up in Oakley, California, and attended Freedom High School, where he excelled in both football and basketball. As a three-year starter for the Freedom High School Falcons football team, Mixon quickly established himself as a dominant force.

During his sophomore year, he rushed for 1,134 yards and scored 13 touchdowns on 171 carries. In his junior year, he continued to impress, rushing for 1,443 yards and 21 touchdowns on 201 carries.

Mixon also showcased his athletic abilities on the basketball court, playing in 16 games for the Falcons. He averaged 12.2 points per game, demonstrating his versatility as an athlete.

College Recruitment and Commitment

Mixon's outstanding performance in high school attracted the attention of college scouts nationwide. He was ranked as a five-star recruit and the top-ranked running back in the nation by Rivals.com, a testament to his exceptional talent and potential.

He received 47 offers from different colleges. In January 2014, Mixon committed to the University of Oklahoma to play college football, choosing the Sooners over numerous other prestigious programs.

College Career at Oklahoma

2015 Season: Redshirt Freshman Year

In 2015, Mixon earned playing time his redshirt freshman year, playing in all 12 games with three starts. In his very first game, he had an impressive 76-yard touchdown reception, the longest catch ever by a Sooner freshman running back. In addition, he ran for 27 yards on five carries against Akron. Later in the season, against Texas Tech, he rushed for 154 yards and two touchdowns.

Oklahoma qualified for the College Football Playoff in the 2015 season. In the semifinals against Clemson in the Orange Bowl, Mixon had limited yards, and Oklahoma lost the game.

During the 2015 regular season, he ran for 749 yards on 110 carries, averaging 6.8 yards. He rushed for seven touchdowns and set his career long carry at 66 yards.

2016 Season: Breakout Performance

Mixon started the 2016 season with 40 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and 77 receiving yards in a loss to Houston. In the next game against Louisiana-Monroe, he had 117 rushing yards in the 59-17 victory. On October 1, against TCU, he had 105 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, five receptions, and 70 receiving yards. On October 15, against Kansas State, he had 88 rushing yards, 34 receiving yards, one receiving touchdown, and threw a 26-yard touchdown.

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On October 22, Mixon had an amazing game against Texas Tech. He rushed for 263 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 114 yards and three receiving touchdowns. This was his best college game, helping Oklahoma win 66-59. His career day against Texas Tech marked the first of six consecutive games with at least one rushing touchdown.

In the Sugar Bowl on January 2, Mixon rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns. He also had 89 receiving yards, helping Oklahoma win against Auburn.

College Statistics and Accolades

Joe Mixon's college career at Oklahoma was marked by impressive statistics and accolades. He showcased his versatility as a running back, excelling both as a rusher and a receiver. He regularly showed elite traits as a runner, including his vision, speed, power, and pass catching ability out of the backfield.

During his two seasons as a Sooner, Mixon amassed 2,027 rushing yards (6.8 YPC) and 894 receiving yards to go with 26 offensive touchdowns. His outstanding performance earned him first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2016, solidifying his status as one of the top running backs in college football.

NFL Draft and Professional Career

2017 NFL Draft

Before the 2017 NFL Draft, some experts thought Mixon was a very talented player. However, due to an incident that happened before he joined the NFL, some teams had concerns about his character. Coming out of college, some analysts and scouts graded Mixon as a first-round talent but projected him to be selected in the third or fourth round due to his prior history.

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The NFL did not invite him to the NFL Scouting Combine. However, the Cincinnati Bengals met with him to learn more. ESPN reported that on the weekend of the combine the Cincinnati Bengals met with Mixon in order for them to get a chance to talk with him extensively about his character.

The Bengals selected Mixon in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was the fourth running back chosen that year. He was viewed as a first-round talent by some scouts, but several teams removed him from their draft board entirely due to character concerns after a prior assault on Amelia Molitor, a female student at Oklahoma.

Cincinnati Bengals (2017-2023)

Mixon made his NFL debut on September 10, 2017, against the Baltimore Ravens. In Week 5, he scored his first NFL rushing touchdown against the Buffalo Bills. In Week 8, he had over 100 total yards (rushing and receiving) for the first time against the Indianapolis Colts. Mixon finished his rookie season with 626 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns.

Mixon started the 2018 season strong with 95 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Colts. In Week 8, he rushed for 123 yards and two touchdowns against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This was his second game with multiple touchdowns. In Week 15, he rushed for 129 yards and two touchdowns against the Oakland Raiders. Mixon led the AFC in rushing yards with 1,168 yards that season.

In Week 10, Mixon rushed for a season-high 114 yards against the Ravens. He scored his first rushing touchdown of the season in Week 11 against the Raiders. In Week 14, he had 146 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Browns. Mixon finished the 2019 season with 1,137 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.

On September 1, 2020, Mixon signed a new four-year contract with the Bengals. In Week 4, he had a fantastic game against the Jaguars, rushing for 151 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught a receiving touchdown. For this performance, Mixon was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week. He later suffered a foot injury and missed the rest of the season.

Mixon had a great start to the 2021 season with 127 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings. In Week 11, he rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns against the Las Vegas Raiders. In December, Mixon was chosen for his first Pro Bowl. He was the first Bengals running back to make the Pro Bowl since 2004. Mixon finished the 2021 season with a career-high 1,205 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. He also had 42 catches for 314 receiving yards and 3 receiving touchdowns. In Super Bowl LVI, Mixon rushed for 72 yards. He also threw his first career pass, a 6-yard touchdown pass to Tee Higgins. This made him only the third running back in NFL history to throw a touchdown in the Super Bowl.

In the Bengals' first game of 2022, Mixon had 145 total yards against the Steelers. In Week 9 against the Carolina Panthers, Mixon had an incredible game. He rushed for 153 yards, had 58 receiving yards, and scored a career-high and franchise record five touchdowns. He was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for this performance. Mixon finished the 2022 season with 814 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. He also had 60 catches for 441 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns.

Mixon started the 2023 season by changing his contract to be more helpful for the team. He scored his first touchdown of the season in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams. In Week 8, he had his first game with over 100 combined yards against the San Francisco 49ers. He scored two touchdowns in Week 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mixon finished the 2023 season with 1,034 rushing yards and 12 total touchdowns. He became the third-highest rushing leader in Bengals history.

Houston Texans (2024-Present)

On March 13, 2024, Mixon was traded to the Houston Texans. The next day, he signed a new three-year contract with the Texans. In his first game with the Texans on September 8, Mixon had 159 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Colts. This was his third-highest rushing total in a single game. Mixon missed three games due to an ankle injury. In his return in Week 6, he had 132 total yards and two touchdowns against the Patriots. In the following game against the Packers, he rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns. He continued to score touchdowns in his next three games, rushing for over 100 yards in two of them. In Week 13 against the Jaguars, Mixon made NFL history. He became the only player to have at least 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in six straight road games. He finished the 2024 season with 1,016 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. He also had 36 catches for 309 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.

Legal Issues

Mixon entered an Alford plea to a misdemeanor assault charge in October 2014 for punching Amelia Molitor, breaking bones in her face and resulting in hospitalization and surgery. Some of his teammates were harassing Molitor and her friend outside a store. The surveillance video shows Mixon follow Molitor inside the store and the two begin arguing, followed by Molitor pushing and slapping Mixon's face, and then Mixon punching Molitor, causing her to fall into a table. Molitor required surgery after the incident, as the punch and resulting fall had broken four bones in her face. According to Molitor, the incident was escalated when Mixon used a homophobic slur towards her friend after Mixon followed them into the store. Mixon received a one-year deferred sentence and was ordered to undergo counseling along with 100 hours of community service.

A warrant was issued for Mixon's arrest for one count of Aggravated Menacing on February 2, 2023. It was alleged that Mixon pointed a gun at a woman in downtown Cincinnati, according to local reports. Mixon allegedly said: "You should be popped in the face. I should shoot you now. The police can't get me." The alleged incident was said to have happened one day before the Bengals faced the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Divisional playoff game. On February 3, 2023, less than 24 hours after the warrant was issued the aggravated menacing charge against Mixon was dismissed, per the request of The Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office.

On March 6, 2023, the Hamilton County sheriff department responded to a "shots fired" call at Mixon's home. An injured child was found on the scene and transported to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. Mixon was not arrested, but the investigation into the incident is ongoing. On March 16, 2023, Hamilton County prosecutors charged Mixon's sister and her boyfriend in the case.

Personal Life

Mixon is a Christian. Mixon has a daughter who was born in October 2023 according to Bengals coach Zac Taylor.

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