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Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell suffered a serious-looking leg injury after scoring a touchdown in the team’s Week 16 game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Naturally, Dell’s teammates were distraught after watching the second-year wideout go down.
C.J. Stroud was among those who were upset as Dell was receiving medical attention in the back of the end zone. The NBC broadcast showed the second-year quarterback being comforted by veteran running back Joe Mixon while trying to fight off tears.
Stroud and Dell have a close relationship, with the quarterback referring to Dell as his “best friend on the team” in an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” during the 2023 season. The duo entered the league together as high-drafted rookies and worked out before the 2023 NFL draft, and their bond continued to grow in Houston.
It’s easy to see why Stroud was so upset on the play. The same can be said of Jared Wayne, who also showed emotion after the injury. Wayne, a second-year receiver, was playing in just his second career NFL game when he collided with Dell while also trying to make a play on Stroud’s pass to the end zone.
He was shown being comforted by his teammates while on a knee, his face tinged red.
Many other members of the Texans gathered around Dell as he was tended to as a show of support. Will Anderson appeared to lead his teammates in a prayer before Dell was carted off the field.
Nico Collins, C.J. Stroud discuss Tank Dell injury
Nico Collins spoke to reporters about Dell’s injury in the Texans’ locker room. Collins said “it just hurt” to see Dell get injured and credited his teammate for the positive attitude he brings to the field.
“He’s one of my brothers man,” Collins said of Dell. “He brings that energy, brings that juice. [He] brings that energy we all need when we’re down. He’s that guy that can make you smile when everything’s not going as good.”
Collins also expressed that he hopes Dell is doing OK. He also lamented that Dell suffered a significant injury and said he would give his teammate the space needed to cope with the reality of his situation.
“You know how much this game means to him, to us? And just [to see him] go down like that? It’s frustrating,” Collins said.
Meanwhile, Stroud was asked about Dell on the podium and briefly struggled to find words to describe how he felt.
“It’s not easy just to let it go, especially since that’s my best friend,” Stroud said of Dell’s injury. “It’s not easy to move on and just keep playing, but I tried to do as best as I could.”
Stroud also credited his teammates for helping him through the difficult transition of worrying about Dell’s health to resuming the game.
“My teammates held me up,” Stroud said. “Joe [Mixon] held me up, so I appreciate those guys just talking to me because I was going through it. So, I appreciate them just being there for me.”
NFL world reacts to Tank Dell’s injury
Dell’s teammates weren’t the only ones showing love to the injured receiver. Dell received plenty of well wishes from the NFL world on social media as well. Below are some of the most notable reactions:
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