The NFL offseason is still wild, with major news dropping that’s got everyone buzzing. The biggest shocker has to be the developing story around Joe Mixon, whose NFL career is reportedly over due to a “freak injury” sustained nearly a year ago. Seriously, a year later and we still barely have answers about what went down between him and the Houston Texans.
The Unlikely End of a Pro Bowl Career
Man, this Mixon news is a tough one to swallow for anyone who loves good football. Team reporter Aaron Wilson dropped the bomb that Mixon’s career is done, even though a source close to Mixon holds onto “some hope” for a return. But let’s be real, it sounds incredibly unlikely, especially with Mixon himself telling former Cincinnati Bengals teammates that “his career is over.” That’s a gut punch. This guy was a two-time Pro Bowler, racking up 7,428 rushing yards and 60 touchdowns on the ground. He wasn’t just a runner, either, adding 2,448 receiving yards and 14 more scores across his time with the Bengals and Texans. If this is truly the end, it’s a huge loss for the league and a sad way for a solid eight-year career to wrap up.
Gonzalez’s Money Talk and the Pats’ Defense
Over in New England, star cornerback Christian Gonzalez is in the middle of contract negotiations for an extension, and Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel kept it super tight-lipped, just saying talks are “ongoing.” Gonzalez is still at training camp, which is a good sign for sure. But the dude earned his money last season, making his first Pro Bowl in 2025. He was a beast, putting up 10 passes defended and 69 combined tackles. The Patriots’ defense overall was fourth in the NFL, only giving up 18.8 points per game, and eighth in total yards allowed at 295.2 per game. Gonzalez was a huge piece of that, with Pro Football Focus reporting he had just one missed tackle all year. The guy drafted 17th overall in 2023 out of Oregon is proving he’s worth every penny, and you gotta wonder how long those “ongoing” talks will actually last before he gets paid what he deserves.
Arizona’s Quarterback Quandary
Meanwhile, the Arizona Cardinals could be brewing up a full-blown quarterback battle, and their newly hired head coach Mike LaFleur is playing it cool. When asked if Jacoby Brissett was still the starter, LaFleur just shrugged it off with a classic coach’s non-answer: “practice 1 on July 23rd.” The Cardinals drafted Miami quarterback Carson Beck in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, supposedly as Brissett’s backup. But LaFleur’s refusal to name a starter speaks volumes, telling you a genuine competition is definitely happening. Brissett, to his credit, had a career year filling in for an injured Kyler Murray last season. Sure, Arizona only won one of his 12 starts, but Brissett played well, completing 64.9% of his passes for 3,366 yards, 23 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions. It’s going to be interesting to see who earns that spot when the season kicks off.
With all this action, from a shocking career end to big contract talks and intense QB battles, the offseason isn’t slowing down. Keep an eye on those contract negotiations for Gonzalez and watch closely to see how the Cardinals’ quarterback situation plays out. The next few weeks of training camp are gonna be must-watch for these teams!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
Leave a Reply