Mack Attack: New Texans RB Looks for Rebound Season After Achilles Injury

Marlon Mack is three years removed from a 1,000-yard season, two years removed from an Achilles injury and one play away from becoming the Texans' focal rusher

HOUSTON -- Humility can come in more than one way. Houston Texans running back Marlon Mack found that out the hard way following Week 1 of the 2020 season. 

As a member of the Indianapolis Colts, Mack was entering the final season of his rookie deal. He was coming off a career season in which he tallied 1,091 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 4.4 yards per play. And while the Colts are a run-heavy offense, the expectation was that Mack would receive an extension and split reps with then-rookie Jonathan Taylor. 

That changed after Mack suffered a season-ending Achilles injury against the Jacksonville Jaguars in September. He would be ruled out for the remainder of the season, allowing Taylor to become the focal point of the offense and eventual top back for Frank Reich's offense. 

"[It's] just a cycle in the NFL, I'd say," Mack said Tuesday following OTAs. "You learn how to take your ups and downs and be grateful for what you got, and always go a 110 percent and that's what I did. Learning from being a starter and being a bench guy and you have to adapt and learn and keep going because that's what it is.” 

Mack now has a fresh start in Houston to become a feature tailback again. As the team continues its rebuild, finding any stability in the backfield is essential for the Texans after a lackluster 2021 season. On the ground, the Texans averaged a franchise-worst 3.4 yards per attempt with veteran Rex Burkhead (427 yards) leading the pack. 

The Texans used a fourth-round pick on Florida running back Dameon Pierce, but his overall production outside the red zone has been limited. In large part, the Gators used a running back by committee approach to carry the workload with inconsistent play at quarterback. Pierce became a focal point inside the 20 as he managed to score a team-high 13 touchdowns. 

Mack has been impressed with Peirce's growth in Pep Hamilton's offense thus far through OTAs. Impressions without pads aren't enough for coach Lovie Smith or general manager Nick Caserio after finishing dead last in rushing last fall. 

“We were trying to upgrade all the positions, but running back was one that we thought there were some players out there that fit what we wanted to do,” Smith said. “And (with) Marlon — I’m going to say that about all our running backs, even with our rookie — we have depth at the running back position.” 

One thing Mack said that he brings to Hamilton's offense is "big play touchdowns." As a member of the Colts, the 26-year-old recorded 25 total runs of over 20-plus yards downfield. From 2017 to 2019, Mack tallied at least six "big runs" per season. 

Mack said he felt fully back toward the middle of last season, but the Colts' offense was catered around Taylor. One season after becoming Indianapolis' second-round pick, Taylor burst onto the scene as one of the league's top rushers. He finished 2021 with 2,171 total yards and 20 touchdowns. 

"Great teammate, great room, great room to be a part of, especially with my running back coach there," Mack said of the All-Pro. "It was just great to see. Always motivated. That's one thing about this game, you've just got to learn how to motivate yourself and watch the other guy do it and that'll help you out.”

A selling point for Mack to join Houston was his ability to carve out significant reps early on. The first thing he must do is fight the fear of suffering a setback. Achilles injuries are hard to recover from regardless of the position. It can be a nightmare for running backs due to how much they cut in the space to pick up the hard yards. 

Mack said he felt like he was back in college again playing in the summer heat of Texas. He isn't trying to overkill it in OTAs but hopes to set the tone for the impending season.

Humility comes in many forms. Mack's came with a second chance on the sideline of a former division rival. His jersey number might have changed, but his goal of being a team's go-to runner hasn't. 

Said Mack: "Everybody wants to go out there and help the team with the rushing game. That's one thing as a running back you want to do, put that on your shoulders and go out and do that.”