Texans' Collins ruled out vs. Patriots with concussion
Houston Texans wide receiver Nico Collins won't play in Sunday's divisional-round game against the New England Patriots due to a concussion.
Collins suffered the injury in Houston's 30-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday night. His head hit the ground while trying to make a catch in the second half.
#Texans WR Nico Collins went down with what appears to be a head injury. Immediately grabbed his helmet after the fall: pic.twitter.com/oKhoAdK5U7
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) January 13, 2026
The 26-year-old was later carted to the locker room and didn't return to the contest. He finished the game with three receptions for 21 yards while playing over 55% of Houston's offensive snaps.
Collins did not participate in practice all week leading up to Sunday's game. He posted 71 receptions on 120 targets for a team-leading 1,117 receiving yards in 15 regular-season contests. The 2021 third-round pick has led the Texans in receiving yards in each of the last three campaigns.
Christian Kirk, Jayden Higgins, Xavier Hutchinson, and Jaylin Noel are other wideouts on Houston's depth chart. Kirk, 29, stepped up in the wild-card round, recording eight catches for a season-high 144 yards and a score.
The Texans and Patriots will face off for a chance to reach the AFC Championship Game at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.
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