Nico Collins Injury Update: What Happened?
On Monday night, January 12, 2026, in the Texans’ 30–6 wild‑card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium, Nico Collins left in the third quarter with a head injury and was ruled out with a concussion. @MySportsUpdate shared on X that Houston Texans Pro Bowl wide receiver Nico Collins suffered a concussion and will not return to the playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The play came on a slant from C.J. Stroud, where Collins went to ground, hit his head on the turf, stayed down, then walked to the blue tent before being carted to the locker room and downgraded to out.
@SMHighlights1 shared on X that Nico Collins appeared clearly concussed after taking a heavy hit and was reportedly disoriented, even struggling to find the correct locker room.
He finished the night with three catches on seven targets for 21 yards, ending what had been a Pro Bowl season at least temporarily on a worrying note.
Nico Collins Injury Details
Over the past three seasons, Collins’ biggest issues have been soft‑tissue and head injuries, with 2025–26 now bringing a second documented concussion.
Earlier this season, he suffered a concussion in a Week 7 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, missed Week 8 against the 49ers, and then returned in Week 9 versus Denver. In 2023, he’d already missed time with a hamstring problem in Week 5 against the Buffalo Bills, when he led the league in receiving yards before that setback.
Informal injury list (last three seasons):
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2023: Hamstring injury in Week 5 vs Bills; placed on the injury report and missed time.
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2025 regular season: Concussion in Week 7 vs Seahawks, missed Week 8 vs 49ers, cleared and played Week 9 vs Broncos.
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2026 postseason: Concussion vs Steelers in wild‑card game, carted off, remains in concussion protocol.
None of these have been long‑term IR stints, but stacking concussions on top of a high‑usage year is exactly what medical staff watch closely with a featured wideout.
When Will Nico Collins Return?
Right now, Collins is in the NFL’s concussion protocol, and there’s no confirmed timetable for his return ahead of Sunday’s divisional‑round game at the New England Patriots.
The protocol requires him to clear multiple stages of symptom resolution, limited football activity, non‑contact practice, full practice, and an independent neurologist sign‑off, so his status is genuinely up in the air on a short week.
Local reports and national injury analysts have noted that this is at least his second documented concussion, which usually leads to extra caution.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans told reporters postgame that Collins was in protocol and the staff would “see how he progresses through the week,” a standard line but one that underlines there’s no guarantee he’s ready by Sunday.
Nico Collins Career Stats With Houston Texans
Here’s a snapshot of Collins’ regular‑season receiving production with Houston through the end of the 2025 season:
|
Season |
Team |
Games |
Yards |
Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2021 |
Houston Texans |
14 |
446 |
13.5 |
|
2022 |
Houston Texans |
10 |
481 |
13.0 |
|
2023 |
Houston Texans |
15 |
1,297 |
16.2 |
|
2024 |
Houston Texans |
— |
— |
— |
|
2025 |
Houston Texans |
17 |
1,117 |
15.7 |
That 2023 breakout (80–1,297–8) pushed him into the Pro Bowl conversation, and he followed it with another 1,100‑plus yard year in 2025, leading the Texans in receiving yards and tying for the team lead in receiving touchdowns.
Impact on Houston Texans Lineup
Losing Collins mid‑game against Pittsburgh forced Houston to lean heavier on Christian Kirk, Xavier Hutchinson, and rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel to get through the second half. Collins had already drawn seven targets before exiting, so those looks redistributed quickly to the rest of the receiver room and tight end Dalton Schultz in what turned into a blowout anyway.
Heading into Sunday’s divisional matchup at New England, the Texans list Collins in the concussion protocol, with his status effectively “questionable” until he clears. If he’s out, expect:
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Christian Kirk to function as C.J. Stroud’s primary outside and intermediate option.
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More snaps and targets for Higgins and Hutchinson on the perimeter.
-
An uptick in schemed touches for Tank Dell‑type roles, depending on health elsewhere on the depth chart.
Analytically, this is a major hit: Collins brought 1,117 regular‑season yards and six receiving touchdowns into the playoffs, plus a vertical threat that changes coverages.
Without him, Houston’s passing game becomes more spread‑by‑committee and asks Stroud to win even more with timing and precision instead of pure matchup ball to his Pro Bowl No. 1.
Disclaimer:
Nico Collins’ injury status, timelines, and availability are based on current reports and may change with new medical evaluations or team updates. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be treated as official team, league, or medical confirmation.
