WR Tank Dell carted off field in scary scene after brutal knee injury on Texans TD

Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell was arguably having his best game of the season against the Kansas City Chiefs — until tragedy struck.

Early in the third quarter of Houston's Week 16 clash with the Kansas City Chiefs, Dell and quarterback C.J. Stroud connected for a 30-yard touchdown. But the most significant part of the play was what transpired afterward.

Unfortunately, Dell suffered what appeared to be a serious and frightening knee ailment. As the broadcast points out, he was instantly down on the ground and ostensibly in immense pain. Moments later, many of his Texans rallied around him before the 25-year-old got carted off the field by ambulance with an air cast.

WR Tank Dell carted off the field in scary scene after a brutal knee injury on Texans TD

As you can see, Dell collided with fellow Texans receiver Jared Wayne in the end zone, who immediately flagged for medical assistance. Albeit unintentional, this is the second consecutive campaign the 2023 third-round pick got seriously hurt due to friendly fire.

Last year, Dell got awkwardly rolled up on at the end of a goal-line scrum and fractured his left fibula. He underwent season-ending surgery the following day and could sadly be headed for a similar fate again.

Per FOX 26 Houston's Will Kunkel, Dell has already been transported to a local hospital in Kansas City. While it's too early to speculate, this has the makings of a long-term issue. With that in mind, it feels safe to say the second-year pro is out indefinitely and faces a long road to recovery.

For obvious reasons, replays of the incident weren't shown. It was a gruesome injury that no one needs to see more than once. But considering how visibly emotional and distraught Stroud and the Texans were, the severity of the matter cannot be overstated.

Before going down, Dell hauled in six of his seven targets for 98 yards and the mentioned score. He's failed to regain his pre-injury form from his standout rookie season in 2024, though this was shaping up to be a vintage performance. Alas, the Texans must proceed without him, presumably for the foreseeable future.