Cᴀɴʙᴇʀʀᴀ ʀᴀɪᴅᴇʀꜱ ꜰᴀɴꜱ ᴘɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛᴇᴀʀꜱ ᴀꜱ Tᴇxᴀɴꜱ’ Tᴀɴᴋ Dᴇʟʟ ꜱᴜꜰꜰᴇʀꜱ ꜱᴇʀɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴋɴᴇᴇ ɪɴᴊᴜʀʏ ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴄᴀʀᴛᴇᴅ ᴏꜰꜰ

Canberra Raiders Fans in Tears as Texans’ Tank Dell Suffers Serious Knee Injury Before Being Carted Off

The sporting world was left heartbroken on Sunday as Houston Texans’ wide receiver Tank Dell suffered a devastating knee injury during their 27–19 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs — an incident that left fans, including many in Australia’s rugby league community, stunned and emotional. Canberra Raiders fans, who have come to admire Dell’s spirit and athleticism through crossover NFL–NRL fan networks, were among those expressing deep sadness and support following the tragic moment.

The injury occurred midway through the third quarter when Dell caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from quarterback C.J. Stroud, showcasing his trademark agility and speed. However, as he made the catch in the back of the end zone, Dell collided awkwardly with teammate Jared Wayne. The collision caused his leg to buckle beneath him, and he immediately grabbed his right knee in visible agony. Players from both teams waved urgently for medical staff as silence fell over the stadium.

Trainers quickly rushed onto the field, stabilizing Dell’s leg with an air cast before he was lifted onto a medical cart. Fans rose to their feet, applauding as the 24-year-old was driven away, tears in his eyes and hands pressed to his helmet. Reports later confirmed that Dell was transported to the University of Kansas Hospital, where early scans revealed a significant knee injury, including a torn ACL and damage to surrounding ligaments. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans described the incident as “heartbreaking for everyone in the organization,” calling Dell “a fighter and one of the hardest workers on our team.”

The injury sent shockwaves not just across the NFL, but through international fan circles. Canberra Raiders supporters, many of whom have followed Dell since his college days and admired his underdog journey to the NFL, took to social media to express their sympathy. “Heartbreaking to see someone with Tank’s energy go down like that,” one Raiders fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Sports pain is universal — we’re with you, Tank.”

C.J. Stroud, Dell’s quarterback and close friend, was visibly emotional after the game. Speaking through tears, Stroud said, “That’s my brother. We came into this league together, and to see him like that broke me. But I know Tank — he’s built different, and he’ll come back stronger.” Teammates echoed the sentiment, calling Dell a “spark plug” for the team and a “leader by example” despite being one of the youngest players on the roster.

In the days since the injury, the Texans organization confirmed that Dell will undergo multiple surgeries and is expected to miss most, if not all, of the 2025 NFL season. Fans have since flooded his social media pages with messages of encouragement, including from Australian supporters who follow both rugby league and American football.

While the Texans now face the remainder of the season without one of their brightest stars, the outpouring of global support highlights the universal bond of sportsmanship. For Canberra Raiders fans and NFL followers alike, Tank Dell’s injury serves as a painful reminder of the risks athletes take every time they step onto the field — and the resilience required to rise again

Would you like me to make a headline and social media caption version of this same story (under 100 w

ords) for posting?