Former Minnesota Vikings
running back Alexander Mattison
is attempting to restart his NFL career after losing an entire season to injury.
Mattison tried out for the Houston Texans
on July 30, according to the NFLâs transaction wire. A workout does not guarantee Mattison a contract, but it represents a meaningful opportunity for the 28-year-old after the Miami Dolphins
placed him on injured reserve in August 2025.
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The former Vikings third-round pick suffered a neck injury before playing a regular-season game for Miami. His Houston audition indicates that he has progressed far enough in his recovery to pursue another roster spot.
Mattison rushed for 2,370 yards during his five seasons in Minnesota, making the rusher one of the more experienced players competing for work during training camp.
Alexander Mattison Faces Crowded Texans Backfield
Houstonâs interest does not necessarily mean the Texans are preparing to make Mattison a major part of their offense.
The top of the depth chart is already occupied by David Montgomery
and Woody Marks
. Houston acquired Montgomery during the offseason after Marks recorded 703 rushing yards as a rookie in 2025.
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The Texans also opened training camp with Jawhar Jordan
, British Brooks
and additional young runners competing for reserve and special-teams roles. Houstonâs official roster lists Montgomery, Marks, Jordan and Brooks among its running backs.
That makes Mattisonâs clearest path a battle for the final running back spot rather than a significant offensive role.
His experience could still appeal to Houston. Mattison has appeared in 89 regular-season games, made 26 starts and accumulated 2,790 career rushing yards. He has also caught 136 passes for 1,012 yards, giving him experience in passing situations as well as on early downs.
For a contender evaluating its depth during camp, that résumé is worth examining â especially if Mattison can demonstrate that the neck injury is behind him.
Mattison Trying to Revive Career After Vikings Exit
Minnesota selected Mattison with the No. 102 overall pick in the third round of the 2019 NFL
draft. He initially served as Dalvin Cookâs primary backup before receiving his opportunity to lead the Vikingsâ backfield in 2023.
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Mattison rushed for a career-high 700 yards that season, but he did not score a rushing touchdown and eventually lost work to Ty Chandler
. The Vikings released him in March 2024, one year after signing him to a two-year contract.
He subsequently joined the Las Vegas Raiders
and rushed for 420 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. His 3.2 yards per carry reflected the difficulty he had producing consistently in a struggling offense, although he added 36 receptions for 294 yards and another touchdown.
Miami signed Mattison in 2025 with the expectation that he could provide a more physical complement to DeâVon Achane. That opportunity disappeared when the neck injury ended his season before it began.
Houston now represents a possible route back.
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Mattison would still need to turn the tryout into a contract and then outperform younger options who offer more special-teams value. But after spending nearly a year recovering, simply getting in front of another NFL coaching staff is an important step in the former Vikings starterâs comeback attempt.
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