HOUSTON (AP) — Texans receiver Tank Dell has been released after an overnight stay in the hospital and was traveling back to Houston on Sunday after sustaining a severe knee injury in Saturday’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Coach DeMeco Ryans provided the update Sunday, but didn’t have many details beyond his return to Houston.
“Right now, we still will be evaluating to see where he is,” Ryans said. “He’s still meeting with doctors to see what’s next for him. But it is a significant knee injury.”
Dell was injured on a 30-yard touchdown catch in Houston’s 27-19 loss Saturday. He was coming across the back of the end zone and made the spectacular catch on a pass from C.J. Stroud before colliding with Houston teammate Jared Wayne on the way to the ground. Dell immediately grabbed at his knee and Wayne signaled for team trainers, who spent several minutes working on the wide receiver while teammates waited anxiously.
Dell was eventually placed on a stretcher and driven in a covered medical cart off the field, and then he was taken to the hospital.
Ryans was asked if they’ve ruled out Dell returning this season.
“We don’t — we’re still evaluating that to see what will happen,” Ryans said. “He still has to talk to doctors and go through all the procedures there.”
He then expressed appreciation to the Chiefs for caring for Dell after the injury.
“We would really like to thank the Kansas City medical team and the doctors there and their staff for being very accommodating,” Ryans said. “For helping out with Tank, giving him a room, getting him set up. I really thought those guys did a really unbelievable job. (Head athletic trainer) Rick Burkholder and his staff, they did an unbelievable job and very thankful to the entire Kansas City organization and their medical team.”
Ryans said that he has been in contact with Dell, but did not share any information about their conversations.
Dell had six catches for 98 yards and the touchdown when he was hurt with 11:40 left in the third quarter.
It’s the second straight year Dell has sustained what is almost certain to be a season-ending injury. He fractured his fibula in Week 13 against the Broncos last season, just as the rookie was breaking out, and had surgery on it the following day.
Then in April, the 25-year-old was an innocent bystander at a private event in Sanford, Florida, when he sustained a minor gunshot wound. Dell spent a brief amount of time in the hospital but was able to return to Houston soon afterward.
Dell, a third-round pick out of the University of Houston last year, ranks second on the team with 51 receptions for 667 yards and three touchdowns.
His injury is another blow to a team that was already missing Stefon Diggs after the four-time Pro Bowl receiver sustained a season-ending knee injury in Week 8.
AP Sports Writer Dave Skretta contributed to this report.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell, grabs his knee while being checked on by teammate Jared Wayne after catching a touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell covers his face as he is taken off the field on a stretcher after being injured while catching a touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (3) catches a touchdown pass as Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) defends during the second half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. Dell was injured on the play. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Houston Texans wide receiver Tank Dell (3) catches a touchdown pass as Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie, left, defends during the second half of an NFL football game Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo. Dell was injured on the play. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
ROME (AP) — Charles De Ketelaere scored late and Atalanta returned to the top of Serie A with a 3-2 win over Empoli in the club’s record-extending 11th consecutive league victory.
De Ketelaere scored two goals and African player of the year Ademola Lookman grabbed the other as Atalanta went two points clear of Napoli, which had put the home team under pressure with a 2-1 win over Genoa the day before.
Empoli forward Lorenzo Colombo stunned the hosts with the opener in the 13th minute after a quick throw in caught the Atalanta defense off guard.
Atalanta suffered another blow minutes later when Mateo Retegui had to go off with what looked like a left thigh injury. Nicolo Zaniolo went on for the Italy forward and was booked almost straight away.
Gian Piero Gasperini’s side showed no alarm, however, and De Ketelaere equalized with a diving header inside the left post in the 34th.
Lookman then scored his ninth league goal of the season just before the interval after Zaniolo laid off a cross from De Ketelaere.
Sebastiano Esposito pulled one back with a penalty awarded after a VAR check for an innocuous-looking challenge, but De Ketelaere sent the home fans wild in the 86th minute when he fired inside the right post from the edge of the penalty box despite facing three defenders.
Atalanta won the Europa League last season but has never won Serie A. It achieved its highest finish of third place three times under Gasperini.
Paulo Dybala scored twice and set up another goal to get Roma back on track with a comfortable 5-0 win over Parma.
The Argentine playmaker scored an early penalty and pounced on a rebound from Alexis Saelemaekers’ initial shot early in the second half to steer Roma to just its fifth league win of the season.
Saelemaekers scored with a volley after Dybala’s opener, and Leandro Paredes added another penalty in the 74th, awarded after Saelemaekers was shouldered off the ball.
Dybala set up Artem Dovbyk to complete the scoring late.
Roma looked to have finally clicked under Claudio Ranieri, the team’s third coach of the season, when it managed back-to-back wins over Lecce and Sporting Braga in the league and Europa League. But it lost last weekend at promoted Como 2-0.
Also Sunday, Venezia defeated Cagliari 2-1 thanks to Marin Šverko's persistence. The Croatian defender kept going despite the attention of a handful of Cagliari defenders to score what proved to be the winner.
Faltering Juventus visited Monza later Sunday, seeking to end a run of four straight draws.
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Atalanta's Charles De Ketelaere, centre, celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Serie A soccer match between Atalanta and Empoli at Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22 , 2024. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)
Atalanta's Charles De Ketelaere celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the Serie A soccer match between Atalanta and Empoli at Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22 , 2024. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)
Atalanta's Charles De Ketelaere, right, fights for the ball with Empoli's Giuseppe Pezzella during the Serie A soccer match between Atalanta and Empoli at Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)
Atalanta's Charles De Ketelaere, second from right, celebrates with teammates after scoring his side's third goal during the Serie A soccer match between Atalanta and Empoli at Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)
Atalanta's Charles De Ketelaere celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Serie A soccer match between Atalanta and Empoli at Gewiss Stadium in Bergamo, Italy, Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024. (Spada/LaPresse via AP)
Roma's Paulo Dybala celebrates after scoring during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Roma and Parma at Rome's Olympic stadium, Sunday Dec. 22, 2024. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
Roma's Paulo Dybala scores his side's opening goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Roma and Parma at Rome's Olympic stadium, Sunday Dec. 22, 2024. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
Parma's Woyo Coulibaly, right, takes on Roma's Paulo Dybala during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Roma and Parma at Rome's Olympic stadium, Sunday Dec. 22, 2024. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
Roma's Paulo Dybala celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Roma and Parma at Rome's Olympic stadium, Sunday Dec. 22, 2024. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
Roma's Paulo Dybala, center, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Roma and Parma at Rome's Olympic stadium, Sunday Dec. 22, 2024. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
Roma's Paulo Dybala, right, celebrates after scoring his side's third goal during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Roma and Parma at Rome's Olympic stadium, Sunday Dec. 22, 2024. (Alfredo Falcone/LaPresse via AP)
