Bengals' RB Joe Mixon quietly produces best year of his career

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Joe Mixon's foot injury in 2020 was one of many unfortunate events in another train wreck of a season for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Cincinnati had shown promise early that year, but suddenly its premier running back, coming off two consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, was done after six games. Injuries also took down rookie quarterback Joe Burrow and a long list of others. The Bengals clunked to a 4-11-1 finish amid the chaos and confusion of the pandemic.

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Mixon persevered. On a surgically repaired foot, the 6-foot-1, 220-pound power runner came back better than ever.

The best season of his five-year career earned Mixon election to the Pro Bowl and helped the Bengals go from worst to first in the AFC North — and ultimately to their first Super Bowl in 33 years.

The 25-year-old Californian never takes success — or good health — for granted.

"I always tell our players when I talk to them, you’ve got to play each play like it’s your last because you’re not guaranteed the next one," Mixon said Monday. "And we finally know what that means. And I finally know what that means, and know what that feels like.

Cincinnati Bengals running back Joe Mixon (28) runs past Tennessee Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton (26) during the first half of an NFL divisional round playoff football game, Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

"We’ve all been through adversity and everybody’s learning to get through tough times," he said. "And for us to be able to be here in this position, it’s a blessing."

Mixon knows about adversity. He created a great deal of it for himself as a younger man.

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