Somehow, Tank Dell held on to the ball.
On Saturday, the Houston Texans receiver picked off a pass in the end zone in a 27-19 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. But as he took it, teammate Jared Wayne also dove for the deep ball. Wayne collided with Dell’s left leg and it was immediately clear that Dell had suffered a serious leg injury.
Dell’s teammates immediately became concerned about him. Wayne and Texans quarterback CJ Stroud both appeared to be in tears as the cart came to Dell. Stroud had to be comforted by several teammates shortly after the injury.
Hours after the game, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Dell suffered a dislocated kneecap and that surgery is a possibility as doctors assess the damage.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans had said earlier after the game that Dell had suffered a “significant knee injury” and would remain in Kansas City overnight for further evaluation.
Stroud, who also spoke after the game, said all he could really do was pray.
It’s not easy, you know what I mean? But then I try to use it as motivation. Letting go is especially not easy [since] that’s my best friend. It wasn’t easy to move on and just keep playing, but I tried to do the best I could.
A year ago, Dell’s rookie season was cut short when he suffered a broken fibula. Dell was placed on a stretcher and placed on the cart as several teammates gathered around him. The NBC broadcast stated that Dell’s leg was placed in a vacuum splint to stabilize his leg and he was taken directly to a hospital.
If Dell’s injury is as bad as it seemed, it’s a huge blow for the Texans. The Texans already lost Stefon Diggs to a season-ending knee injury. Dell had 569 yards and two touchdowns this season. He had a big day Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs with 98 yards and a touchdown.
Concerns for Dell were few and far between due to the severity of the injury and what he clearly means to his teammates. For the second year in a row, Dell’s season has seemingly ended prematurely with a serious injury.
