'I'll Be Ready!' Tank Dell Looks Forward To Return After Lost Rookie Campaign
Tank Dell had to stay behind and soak in the moment one more time. He had some time to make up for after being away from the facility.
As Houston Texans players cleaned out their lockers for the final time Monday before the start of the offseason, Dell was one of the last to depart. After losing to the Baltimore Ravens Saturday in the divisional round, some wanted to make it a quick stop before the airport.
Others stayed back to talk to teammates about offseason plans and their futures as free agency rolls around the corner.
But Dell wasn't in a hurry. He had nowhere to be just yet.
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He wanted to linger, talk to as many people as possible and wish them well before walking out of NRG Stadium one last time. It had been weeks since the rookie receiver made headlines, but no one would know by his demeanor and jovial appearance.
It was like he had never left the huddle. He doesn't plan on missing much time after being cleared by doctors to return to workouts, either.
“I just feel that was a test run for me,” Dell told reporters in his final interview of the season. “I had a lot more to display. But God puts you through things for a reason. So I just kept my head up. I know the years to come are going to be special here.”
A third-round pick out of Houston, Dell became a consistent playmaker opposite Nico Collins in Houston's passing game under new offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik. Nicknamed "Flash," Dell darted up the depth chart and up the leaderboard for "fan favorite" with each spectacular grab in the end zone as C.J. Stroud became an AFC staple.
But the season came to a screeching halt in Week 13's win over the Denver Broncos after Dell suffered a broken fibula while trying to set up a block inside the red zone during the first quarter.
While his rookie campaign ended on the injured reserve, Dell took it as a reminder of how much the game means to him and that the journey comes in waves.
“God gives his strongest soldiers the toughest battles, so it made me grow a lot and made me sit back and really dedicate my whole life to playing football,” Dell said. “It showed me how much I need this sport. This is what keeps me going. This is my blessing in life."
Dell, who finished with 47 catches, 709 yards, and a rookie-record seven touchdowns, remained active with the team following surgery. Teammates visited him in the hospital and at home after surgery and made time to check in with phone calls and text messages.
Once healthy, Dell was back cheering on his teammates for the rest of the way. Houston bested Tennessee twice and Indianapolis on the road to secure its first division title and playoff berth in four seasons.
Behind Stroud's record performance, the Texans advanced to the next stage despite being underdogs against the Cleveland Browns.
“It’s been great seeing the guys accomplish so much,” Dell said of the season. “So many people sold us short this year. For them to go to the second round … we wanted more, but that’s just a stepping stone, a starting point, to what we’re going to be in the future.”
Dell is still working his way back to 100 percent, but he's close. He's been walking without support for a while now and says he can do "everything" most others can.
Does this mean he'll be good to go by the start of the training camp?
"I'll be ready," said an eager Dell.
His teammates are ready to see him back running routes, too.
“Tank is my brother,” said Stroud. “I don’t think blood can make us any closer. I think it shows on the field, and we’re going to build on that. It happens naturally. We’re boys. You don’t force stuff with your boy."
When healthy, Dell has the chance to be one of the league's top secondary weapons. Collins, who became the third player in franchise history to total 1,200 receiving yards in a season, proved his value as a No. 1 target in the passing game.
But championship-worthy offenses feature duos, not solo acts. Baltimore has Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews.
San Francisco features do-it-all Christian McCaffery and Brandon Aiyuk.
Detriot, perhaps the only story that could mirror Houston's revival as the feel-good moment of 2023, has Amon-Ra St. Brown and rookie phenom Sam LaPorta.
Dell can be that "other option" for the Texans and more. If not for an injury, perhaps Houston features two 1,000-yard receivers.
Perhaps Stroud breaks every rookie record known to man.
Perhaps the Texans survive a trip to Baltimore and punch their ticket to their first AFC Championship.
Those moments will be ones fans ponder over of what could have been in the offseason, but Dell knows it to be true. He and Stroud discussed making the playoffs as rookies during the training camp.
Consider that box checked. The next one? Keep going.
"Everybody knows the end goal is the Super Bowl," said Dell. "So from this day forward, it’s what we’re working toward.”
