Joe Mixon returns to practice with the Texans and expresses his displeasure over NFL player safety

The Houston Texans could get Joe Mixon back for their game against the New England Patriots on Sunday, the first time he has played since his ankle injury in Week 2.

The play that injured Mixon was still bothering the running back when he returned to practice with the Texans on Thursday.

Mixon was tackled with a hip-drop tackle by Chicago Bears linebacker TJ Edwards — something the NFL banned this offseason and planned to vigorously enforce during the season. Edwards was not penalized for the tackle in the game and was only fined $16,833 by the NFL.

After the game, Mixon took to social media to voice his opinion on Edwards' missing penalty.

Staying on topic last week, Mixon took aim at the NFLPA when he responded to the union's X account when it released a statement on the recent media access debate. “Player safety is the most important thing and should be the focus, not media access,” he wrote.

When meeting with reporters on Thursday, Mixon was still hot.

Part of the way NFL fines are handed out that really angers Mixon are situations where a player tried to protect himself by lowering a helmet before he was about to be tackled, resulting in a more expensive fine for these players led and not for those who do deliver tackles that could hurt the opponent.

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs and Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet were fined $45,020 (more than a misdemeanor), and Mixon's teammate Nico Collins was cited in recent weeks for “unnecessary Roughness (Use of Helmet)” was fined $22,511.

Mixon's participation in Thursday's practice bodes well for his availability in Week 6. He said he will attend Friday's practice and then decide whether to play on Sunday.