Career Timeline of Joe Mixon: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Joe Mixon made an impact.

Joe Mixon is an American professional football running back currently playing for the Houston Texans in the NFL. He played college football at the University of Oklahoma, where he earned All-Big 12 honors. Mixon was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft and recently signed with the Houston Texans.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1988: Most Rushing Touchdowns Since 1988

Joe Mixon's 13 rushing touchdowns in 2021 were the most by a Bengals player since Ickey Woods had 15 in the 1988 season.

2004: Last Pro Bowl Appearance for Bengals Running Back

In December 2021, Joe Mixon was selected to his first Pro Bowl, making him the first Bengals running back to make the Pro Bowl since Rudi Johnson in 2004.

2015: Freshman Season

In 2015, during his redshirt freshman year, Joe Mixon played in all 12 games, starting in three. He had a 76-yard touchdown reception, the longest catch by a Sooner freshman running back, and rushed for 749 yards with 7 touchdowns during the regular season.

2016: Decided to Enter NFL Draft

After the 2016 season, Joe Mixon decided to forgo his remaining two years of eligibility and enter the 2017 NFL draft.

2016: All-Big 12 honors

In 2016, Joe Mixon earned first-team All-Big 12 honors while playing college football for the Oklahoma Sooners.

2016: Started the 2016 season

In 2016, Joe Mixon started the season with 40 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and 77 receiving yards in a loss to Houston. He had 263 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns along with 114 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns in a win over Texas Tech.

2016: Played College Football

Joe Mixon played college football for the University of Oklahoma from 2014 to 2016.

March 8, 2017: Oklahoma's Pro Day

On March 8, 2017, Joe Mixon performed all of the combine tests and completed the positional workouts at Oklahoma's Pro Day.

June 2, 2017: Signed with Bengals

On June 2, 2017, Joe Mixon signed a four-year, $5.45 million contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, including $2.81 million guaranteed and a $2.10 million signing bonus.

September 10, 2017: NFL Debut

On September 10, 2017, Joe Mixon made his NFL debut in a game against the Baltimore Ravens, where he had eight rushes for nine yards and three receptions for 15 yards.

2017: Entered NFL Draft

After the 2016 season, Joe Mixon decided to forgo his remaining two years of eligibility and enter the 2017 NFL draft.

2018: 2018 Season

In 2018, Joe Mixon had 95 rushing yards, a rushing touchdown, and five receptions for 54 yards in the season opener against the Colts. He finished the season leading the AFC in rushing yards with 1,168, along with eight rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown.

2019: 2019 Season

In 2019, Joe Mixon rushed 15 times for 61 yards and caught two passes for 34 yards and a touchdown against the Bills. Mixon finished the season with 1,137 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.

September 1, 2020: Signed contract extension with Bengals

On September 1, 2020, Joe Mixon signed a four-year, $48 million contract extension with the Bengals through the 2024 season.

November 21, 2020: Placed on injured reserve

On November 21, 2020, Joe Mixon was placed on injured reserve due to a foot injury, after missing the previous three games.

2021: 2021 Season

During the 2021 season, Joe Mixon finished with a career high 1,205 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns. In December 2021, Mixon was selected to his first Pro Bowl.

2022: Super Bowl LVI

In Super Bowl LVI in 2022, Joe Mixon rushed for 72 yards and threw a 6-yard passing touchdown to Tee Higgins in the loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He was ranked 38th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2022.

2022: 2022 Season

In the 2022 season, Joe Mixon finished with 210 carries for 814 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. In Week 9 against the Carolina Panthers, Mixon rushed for 153 yards, had 58 receiving yards, and a career-high, franchise record, five touchdowns in the 42–21 win.

2023: 2023 Season

During the 2023 season, Joe Mixon restructured his contract. Mixon finished the 2023 season with 1,034 rushing yards and 12 combined touchdowns and moved into third place for the Bengals' franchise rushing leader. He was selected as a first alternate to the Pro Bowl.