Coming into the 2025 college football season, no one knew Oregon had a linebacker named Jerry Mixon. The junior came into the season with eight career tackles after spending most of his first two years on special teams. After playing mostly on special teams for two years, he’s adjusted to a new normal of being in a prominent role.

He already finished the 2025 season with 22 solo tackles, half a sack, and two interceptions. As Mixon’s star rose throughout the season, college football fans started doing what they always do when they hear a familiar last name. They started asking questions. The internet lit up with speculation about whether Oregon’s breakout linebacker was related to Joe Mixon, the Houston Texans running back who’s been a Pro Bowl performer in the NFL. 

Is Jerry Mixon related to Joe Mixon?

Yes, Jerry Mixon and Joe Mixon are cousins. Football genuinely runs in the Mixon family. And the connection between the Oregon linebacker and the Texans running back goes far deeper than just sharing a last name. Joe’s dad, John, and Jerry’s father, Jerry Sr., grew up in San Francisco and played collegiately. Joe played at Freedom High School in Oakley, California, before starring at Oklahoma and eventually becoming a first-round NFL draft pick.

Jerry was just 8 years old when he went to one of Joe’s Freedom games and watched his older cousin rush for nearly 300 yards and score seven touchdowns in a single game. This was the performance that hooked him on football for life.​The family bond has become even more valuable as Jerry’s college career has taken off. 

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“We talked to each other on Sunday, just going over our plays and stuff, critiquing my game and what I can do better, just keep attacking the ball,” Jerry Mixon said about his relationship with Joe. “He helps me a lot. I go to Houston and spend time with him, talk to him about stuff, and he shows me what the NFL is like, which gives me confidence that I can be there one day.” 

Jerry and 14 other family members and friends flew to LAX in 2022 to watch the Cincinnati Bengals play against the Rams. “It’s all very exciting,” Jerry said. “I’m here to support my cousin and be with the rest of the family. I hope the Bengals win.”

When Joe dealt with injuries during the 2025 NFL season, it actually created more opportunities for the two cousins to break down film together. The veteran pro showed his younger cousin how to refine his game. Jerry’s instincts on defense actually come from his offensive background. He played running back at Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory in San Francisco, which explains why he’s so dangerous when he gets the ball in his hands.

 “It’s just going back to my high school days and playing running back,” Mixon said about his interception returns. “I’m trying to make everybody miss and score every time I get the ball.”​ There’s a bigger reason for Mixon’s success beyond just good genetics and family mentorship. According to Oregon coach Dan Lanning, it’s all about preparation and working hard in practice to shine on Saturdays.

“When you have players who are coachable and want to get better and improve, that’s a really good formula for success,” Lanning said. “And Jerry’s that since the minute he got on campus, he’s been a guy that’s really had high ball production and has really been attacking some of those other areas of his game to say, ‘OK, this is what we need you to improve.’ And he’s done that. He’s attacked it. He’s worked really hard. He’s not a guy that says a lot. He just lets his play kind of do the talking, and it’s shown up for us in big ways this season so far.”

Jerry also has another brother, John Mixon, who played running back for the Troy Trojans, making athletics a true family affair. But it’s the connection to Joe that gets the most attention, and rightfully so. Having a Pro Bowl NFL running back as your cousin and mentor is an advantage that can’t be quantified on a stat sheet. 

With Joe’s guidance and his own natural talent, Jerry Mixon proved he belongs on the same field as Oregon’s established defensive stars. And he did it by trusting his preparation and letting his instincts take over when the ball came his way.​