HOUSTON (AP) 鈥� In the days after Tank Dell suffered a gruesome knee injury in December 2024, the Houston Texans receiver wrote down a goal as he faced a daunting road back.
鈥淚 want to come back better than where I was,鈥� Dell said Friday.
After missing all last season recovering from a dislocated knee and multiple torn knee ligaments, Dell rejoined the Texans this week in a limited capacity for team drills as he moves closer to his long-awaited return.
鈥淲e鈥檙e taking our time with Tank, allowing him to come along as he needs to in his time,鈥� coach DeMeco Ryans said. 鈥淏ut he鈥檚 doing an outstanding job with it. He looked really nice today. Nice and crisp running his routes.鈥�
It was a long and winding road to get back that involved near constant work with Dell saying that he never took a day off, even doing rehabilitation on Sundays. It was a path that taught the 26-year-old an important lesson.
鈥淭he patience, man,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檝e never in my life sat out for a whole year. So, it was so hard. But at a certain point you have to accept it for what it is and just get to work. So, it was a long journey, but I was patient enough and I鈥檓 getting close.鈥�
Dell said once he got healthy, the biggest hurdle in his return to the field was simply trusting that his surgically repaired knee would hold up. A talk with his doctor where he told him that his knee was 100% stable and to just be himself gave him the push he needed to do that.
鈥淭he mental aspect is the hardest thing you鈥檝e got to get over,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o, if I went out there iffy about what I鈥檓 doing then I probably would never be able to come back to what I want to be. So, I was out there just trusting it, putting my foot in the ground, trying to be explosive and it鈥檚 working in my favor.鈥�
His most recent injury wasn鈥檛 the only one Dell has dealt with since the Texans drafted him in the third round in 2023 following a standout career at the University of Houston. His rookie season, where he scored seven touchdowns, was cut short when he broke his leg in Week 13.
Before he was injured again the following season he had developed into a favorite target of quarterback C.J. Stroud and had 51 receptions for 667 yards and three scores.
Dell and Stroud are close friends and the receiver said his friendship during his rehabilitation meant 鈥渆verything鈥� to him.
鈥淚n this long process, he was with me the whole time, from the first day it happened to today,鈥� Dell said. 鈥淟ong conversations about the future that we want to build with each other on the field. But off the field just being a brother to me.鈥�
Stroud can鈥檛 wait to play with Dell again.
鈥淚鈥檓 just excited for him to get the peace of mind that he can go play again and be 100% while he鈥檚 doing it,鈥� Stroud said.
That may take a bit longer with both Ryans and Dell refusing to directly answer when asked if he鈥檒l be ready for Week 1.
鈥淭here鈥檚 light at the end of the tunnel,鈥� Dell said. 鈥淚鈥檒l be out there, but right now we鈥檙e just taking it one day at a time.鈥�
Dell is a fan favorite as well as a favorite among his teammates with everyone rooting for him to put this injury behind him and contribute this season.
鈥淵ou want to see that comeback story come to life,鈥� Ryans said. 鈥淲henever that happens we鈥檙e all going to be joyful for him.鈥�
And when he does make his much-anticipated return Dell has very clear expectations for himself.
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to make plays,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 trying to be a big factor on the team.鈥�
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