HOUSTON (AP) – Texans Pro Bowl receiver Andre Johnson will miss Houston’s season finale against Jacksonville and will have arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle next week.
Johnson sprained the ankle in Week 2, and the injury has never healed. He sat out Sunday’s 24-23 loss to Denver and hasn’t practiced this week.
“The biggest thing was just being smart about the situation,” Johnson said Friday. “The best thing they felt was for me not to be out there to have something else bad happen, or me to re-injure the ankle, like I’ve been doing the whole season.”
The Texans (5-10) have lost eight of nine, and Johnson says he would try to play Sunday if the team had more on the line.
“It’s not something I’m happy about,” he said. “But at the same time, we have to think about the future, and not about right now. I think it’s the best move.”
Johnson was named to the Pro Bowl for the fifth time this week, but he’s leaning toward sitting it out this time to protect the ankle. Doctors have told Johnson that he’ll need “a couple weeks” to recover from the surgery.
He ranks fourth in yards receiving (1,216) and receptions (86) this season. He would’ve become only the eighth receiver in league history to reach 1,300 yards receiving in three consecutive years.
“I just appreciate what he did throughout the season,” Houston coach Gary Kubiak said. “A really special player and a special person. He just needs to get healthy, he’s got a lot of great years ahead of him.”
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