Texans rookie wide receiver Tank Dell underwent a successful surgery Monday morning on a fractured left fibula he sustained Sunday in the Texans’ win over the Broncos, a person with knowledge of the situation told the Chronicle.
Dell is expected to make a full recovery.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans later confirmed the news during his press conference Monday. He added that Dell’s season is over, ending any speculation that he could make a return for a possible Super Bowl run.
A fibula is a bone in the lower leg that extends from the knee to the outside of the ankle parallel to the tibia or shin bone. It stabilizes the ankle and supports lower-leg muscles. Dell's injury is common in the NFL.
Dell suffered the injury on a goal-line running play as he was blocking. Players fell on the back of his leg, causing the injury. He had to be carted off.
The injuries can vary, but as is typical with fractured fibulas, if all goes well, the injury takes about six to eight weeks to heal.
Based on that timeline, Dell could have returned in time for the divisional round of the AFC playoffs, which is the weekend of Jan. 20, or before the Super Bowl on Feb. 11.
“Who knows, man?” quarterback C.J. Stroud said Sunday. “He might be back playing (in the) Super Bowl. Try to be positive about it, but it's tough. I'm hurt. I can't sugarcoat it.”
But Ryans shot that notion down Monday when he expected to get Dell back in time for their offseason program next spring.
“He’s been such an inspiration for our team, just an incredible young man,” Ryans said. “Happy for the season he had as a rookie and the impact he has as a person and a player for our organization.”
One of the issues is the Texans have almost reached the maximum number of players they can return from injured reserve in a given season. Teams are allowed to return only eight players in a season from injured reserve. The Texans have returned seven already.
Kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn is eligible to return off the IR and could return as soon as Sunday against the Jets.
Once that happens, the Texans wouldn’t be able to return any more players from injured reserve. And once the Texans put Dell on IR, his season and postseason are done.
To return him during the playoffs — assuming they return Fairbairn — they’d have to keep Dell on the roster and not put him on the IR. That won’t happen.
It’s safer to just let him rehab his injury and return to full strength next season instead of forcing a return.