Why Nico Collins, Trent Brown are not playing vs Patriots today. Texans give latest injury update

The Houston Texans will be without two of their top players in the divisional round game against the New England Patriots

Published on: Jan 19, 2026, 24:21:01 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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The Houston Texans will be without two of their top players in the divisional round game against the New England Patriots on Sunday. Nico Collins and Trent Brown have been ruled out. They join quarterback Graham Mertz, running back Jawhar Jordan, cornerback Alijah Huzzie, and wide receiver Justin Watson in the inactive list.

Nico Collins #12 of the Houston Texans celebrates with teammate Christian Kirk #13 after a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals (Getty Images via AFP)

Why Nico Collins and Trent Brown are not playing today

The star wide receiver missed most of the Texans' Wild Card round game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Collins exited early in the second half after landing hard on his head attempting to catch a pass over the middle of the field. He was put into the league's concussion protocol and did not practice this week.

With Collins out, QB CJ Stroud will rely on veteran Christian Kirk and rookie Jayden Higgins.

Trent Brown will not suit up for Sunday’s playoff matchup and is ruled inactive due to an ankle issue that has lingered for weeks. The veteran tackle was limited to just one practice during the week, sitting out entirely on Wednesday and Thursday before participating in a reduced capacity during Friday’s walkthroughs.

The injury is the latest setback in a prolonged stretch of health problems for Brown, who has also been managing a knee issue that sidelined him for the final two games of the regular season.

With Brown unavailable, Houston has leaned on younger options. Second-year lineman Blake Fisher filled in at tackle during Week 18, while Tytus Howard previously shifted to right tackle in Week 17’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Houston Texans depth chart

Offense

LWR: Nico Collins; Xavier Hutchinson

RWR: Jayden Higgins; Justin Watson

SWR: Christian Kirk; Jaylin Noel; Braxton Berrios

LT: Aireontae Ersery; Blake Fisher

LG: Tytus Howard; Jarrett Patterson

C: Jake Andrews; Juice Scruggs

RG: Ed Ingram; Jarrett Kingston

RT: Trent Brown

TE: Dalton Schultz; Cade Stover; Harrison Bryant

QB: C.J. Stroud; Davis Mills; Graham Mertz

RB: Woody Marks; Jawhar Jordan; Dare Ogunbowale; Nick Chubb

FB: British Brooks

Defense

LDE: Will Anderson Jr.; Denico Autry; Dylan Horton

LDT: Sheldon Rankins; Naquan Jones

RDT: Tommy Togiai; Leki Fotu

RDE: Danielle Hunter; Derek Barnett

WLB: Henry To’oTo’o; Damone Clark; Jamal Hill

MLB: Azeez Al-Shaair; E.J. Speed; Christian Harris

LCB: Derek Stingley Jr.; Tremon Smith

RCB: Kamari Lassiter; Ja’Marcus Ingram

SS: Myles Bryant; Jaylen Reed

FS: Calen Bullock

NB: Jalen Pitre; Alijah Huzzie

Special Teams

P/H: Tommy Townsend

PK/KO: Ka’imi Fairbairn

LS: Austin Brinkman

PR: Jaylin Noel; Braxton Berrios

KR: Tremon Smith; Jaylin Noel; Braxton Berrios

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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