The Houston Texans traded for running back Joe Mixon, who had one year left on his contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. After the trade was completed, the Texans gave Mixon a three-year extension.

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Mixon is under contract with the Texans for two more seasons until 2027

Houston extended Mixon for three years in a deal that could be worth up to $27 million. The new contract helped soften the shock of trade.

“I have to say, it was definitely shocking,” Mixon told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “It took 24 to 48 hours for it to hurt. It took a while and I still feel emotional about it. But this is the place I can feel like my home forever.”

The extension will keep Mixon in Houston until 2027, when he will become a free agent at the end of the season. The deal’s base salary is up to $25.5 million. According to Spotrac, Mixon was the seventh highest-rated player in the league at the time of the contract extension.

Mixon’s extension guarantees $13 million. It includes a $6 million signing bonus. The first two years of the contract are also fully guaranteed.

In 2024, he earned $3 million and will earn $7 million in 2025. The deal includes activation bonuses of $500,000 ($29,411 per game) and additional rushing yards incentives of up to $500,000. If he sprints 1,100 yards, he will earn $250,000. If he reaches 1,300, he will receive an additional $250,000. The incentives are cumulative.

In seven seasons with the Bengals, Mixon finished with the third-most rushing yards and second-most rushing touchdowns in team history. His original contract, signed in 2020, was a four-year, $48 million deal.

Houston had one of the least efficient rushing attacks in the NFL in 2023. They were in the bottom five yards per carry. Mixon brought a resume to Houston that included rushing for over 1,000 yards in four of his final seven seasons with the Bengals.

While running backs don’t typically receive big contracts at this point in their careers, the Texans had confidence that Mixon would stay healthy and productive.

Mixon has the option to terminate the contract after the 2025 season. He would face $2 million in dead money against the Texans’ 2026 cap.

Entering the 2024 season, he was estimated to have earned $38,441,207 over the course of his NFL career.

Mixon has a number of endorsement deals. He supports brands like Madden NFL, Kroger and Head and Shoulders. The advertising contracts are tied to a player’s performance. If Mixon continues to captivate viewers with his performance, there is a high chance that more brands will approach him and ask for his support in the coming seasons.