Tank Dell scores first TD in 687 days as Texans receiver completes comeback from torn knee
Tank Dell waited 687 days to feel this again. Early in Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium, the Houston Texans receiver hauled in a 63-yard touchdown from C.J. Stroud - his first score since Dec. 21, 2024.
The gap wasn't a slump. That December 2024 game was the same afternoon Dell suffered a catastrophic injury: multiple torn ligaments and a dislocated kneecap. He missed nearly two full years before finally returning two weeks ago in a loss to the New York Giants.
On a second down from Houston's own 37, Stroud dropped back and looked Dell's way. Tight coverage from cornerback Donte Jackson didn't matter - Stroud dropped the ball over Jackson's outstretched arms, and Dell hauled it in and was off to the races. The score put the Texans up 17-9.
The celebration said it all
Dell threw his head back and flashed a huge smile as he crossed the goal line. Teammates mobbed him on the sideline, and head coach DeMeco Ryans delivered a full bear hug. When Dell reached Stroud, the pair broke into the Squabble, the touchdown dance they made popular back in Dell's rookie season with the University of Houston in 2023.
It was a full-circle moment for a player whose career was unfairly interrupted.