Three days before Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon had 153 total yards against the Detroit Lions, he was watching Bengals practice from the sideline.
In a typical week, Mixon would have gone through his routine of ball security drills and caught a few passes from quarterback Joe Burrow on Thursday. But he was limited with an ankle injury that has bothered him since Week 4.
According to offensive coordinator Brian Callahan, most running backs “need” to practice. A few years ago, Mixon might have “needed to” practice to prepare for a 153-yard game.
But in his fifth season, Mixon has reached a new stage of his career.