Tank Dell's return gives new life to struggling Texans' roster amid bye week

There’s not much to celebrate around a two-win Houston Texans team entering the bye week, but if there’s a light at the end of the gloomy tunnel, Tank Dell sure is brightening things up.

Dell, who missed over 600 days of football, finally made his return to the gridiron after suffering a catastrophic knee injury a game in a game against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2024. The Texans made sure to ensure it was a day he’d never forget, intentionally naming him the final player in offensive introductions after of Week 7’s 27-21 overtime loss to the New York Gaints.

Of course, Dell had other things on his mind and was a bit sleep-deprived.

“I woke up at 5 o’clock in the morning and didn’t go back to sleep,” Dell said. “People thought I was going to be nervous or whatever. I didn’t feel any nervousness; I felt more anxious than anything, like jittery, ready to just get out there.”

The former third-round pick and speedster who took over games in 2023 showed that flash twice during Houston’s overtime loss. He broke free during the second quarter and recorded his first reception since the touchdown at Arrowhead Stadium — a 43-yard strike from C.J. Stroud to push Houston just outside the red zone.

Tank Dell gets his first catch back ❤️

NYGvsHOU on FOX/FOX One
Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/vgbBdB8eD5

— NFL (@NFL) October 25, 2026

When Jaylin Noel suffered a foot injury in the fourth quarter, he also took over on punt return duties, recording a 14-yard return to help Houston set up a chance to score.

“I’m grateful for everything, but I’m a playmaker, man,” Dell said. “I’m so used to making those plays and there’s so many more to come.”

After the catch, Dell celebrated and the crowd exhaled a sigh of relief. While he was cleared to play, Dell hadn’t participated in a physical practice since training camp in 2024. No one knew how his body was to hold on up once getting tackled for the first time in two seasons.

Dell, who laughed when asked about the fear of getting hit, never flinched when colliding with a pair of Giants defenders in space.

“That was probably a worry of y’all’s or everybody else out there, but for me, I’ve been playing football for 20 years and I’ve never cared about getting tackled,” Dell said. “It felt cool, actually.”

Tank Dell says he’s very comfortable returning punts and has been doing it since college. He loves making defenders miss and is still chasing that first punt return TD.

DeMeco Ryans sounds pretty excited about having Tank back there, too:

“When Tank gets the ball, something… pic.twitter.com/I4IG6kl1Ag

— Houston Stressans (@TexansCommenter) October 28, 2026

Right now, Dell is still on a snap count. While impactful, he only recorded 10 official snaps in Sunday’s loss on offense and another on special teams. With Noel potentially missing time with a turf toe injury, that could create a larger role in the receiver room, though until cleared, expect to only see a handful from “Uno.”

“I don’t know about increasing the snap count; I need to come all the way off of that,” Dell said. “I’m ready to roll.”

The Texans hope Dell is good for a larger impact following the bye week when they travel to SoFi Stadium to take on the Los Angeles Chargers on Nov. 8.

This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Tank Dell’s return gives new life to struggling Texans’ roster amid bye week