Texans quarterback Graham Mertz left Thursday night’s game with a knee injury and it looks like it is a season-ending one for the second-year player.

Head coach DeMeco Ryans said after the game that the team feared an ACL injury and Adam Schefter of ESPN reports on Friday morning that the belief is that Mertz tore the ligament. Further testing will be done to confirm that diagnosis.

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Mertz was 4-of-7 for 23 yards before leaving the game. Davis Mills started the game and returned after Mertz’s injury.

Mertz was a sixth-round pick in 2025 and spent the whole season as the third quarterback behind C.J. Stroud and Mills. The Texans do not currently have a third quarterback on their roster and they’ll likely move to add one if the ACL tear is confirmed.