Seahawks Sign 30-Year-Old Joe Mixon as Injuries Leave Backfield Running on Fumes

Q: Can Joe Mixon overcome his controversial past and devastating medical setbacks to steal the spotlight from Seattle's rising stars?

Yes—but only if Joe Mixon clears two bigger hurdles than competition from Seattle’s younger backs: his health and his ability to stay out of the wrong kind of spotlight. On talent alone, Mixon still has a case. His 2024 season in Houston—1,016 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns and a Pro Bowl nod in 14 games—showed he remained a productive starter when healthy. Over his career, he has topped 1,000 rushing yards five times and offers more proven power and receiving ability than most emergency veteran additions. But Seattle is not asking him to be a star right away. The Seahawks are signing him to the practice squad as a low-risk depth move because their backfield is depleted. Jadarian Price is on injured reserve, Zach Charbonnet is still rehabbing from ACL surgery, and the team has leaned on Emanuel Wilson, who just delivered 81 rushing yards and two total touchdowns against the Chargers. That means Mixon must prove he can still move, absorb contact and regain conditioning after a severe foot injury that cost him all of 2025 and reportedly involved multiple surgeries and blood-flow concerns. The off-field history will also follow him. Seattle can manage that scrutiny if Mixon contributes and avoids further incidents, but it limits any feel-good comeback narrative. So the path is there, but “steal the spotlight” is too strong for now. If Mixon becomes a factor, it will likely be as a useful midseason contributor rather than someone who overtakes Seattle’s emerging backs immediately.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 5

Seattle signed Joe Mixon on Monday after a workout, turning to the 30-year-old veteran to stabilize a backfield depleted despite the team’s 3-1 start.
Kenneth Walker III left in free agency and first-round rookie Jadarian Price was placed on injured reserve, leaving Seattle short on healthy running backs.
Mixon will begin on the practice squad rather than play immediately, as he works back into shape after missing all of 2025 with a severe foot injury.
His return follows a productive 2024 in Houston — 1,016 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns in 14 games — after earlier starring in Cincinnati, though his career has also carried significant off-field controversy.