Last year when the Texans broke camp, there were still so many questions about their rookie quarterback.
Would C.J. Stroud be the Day 1 starter? Was the second overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft ready? How long would it take the Texans to be a winner with him in control?
Fast-forward a year, and with an AFC South title, a playoff win, and AFC Offensive Rookie of the Year recognition to Stroud’s credit, the answers to those questions seem to be a resounding yes!
So it only seems natural that the start of Year 2 would seem decidedly different for the Texans’ franchise quarterback. Right?
“I don’t really like to look back too much,” Stroud said to the Defender. “I remember I didn’t think I had much confidence (after camp). I knew I would have a chance to start because I don’t think I was even a starter yet.
“I knew I had a chance, and I knew if I did get my opportunity, I knew I was going to make the most of it. That was my mindset. Now it is just, can we start fast?”
The answer to that question around the NFL seems to be overwhelmingly yes.
If you believe the prognosticators as the Texans prepare to open the season on the road against AFC South rivals the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, the team that was 3-13-1 in 2022 could be the biggest challenger to the Kansas City Chiefs’ AFC thrown this season.
And that all has to do with Stroud and the belief he is on the verge of becoming the NFL’s next big thing. Imagine Stroud as the NFL MVP in his second season.
That’s what some of the talking heads and coaches and personnel people around the NFL believe could happen.
Stroud isn’t willing to get involved in the conversation with his words, but the 22-year-old isn’t shying away from the expectations, either.
“Just making plays and I feel like the NFL won’t listen to you unless you make plays,” said Stroud. “For me, it is just having something to show for it and building that trust also off the field which I always talk about. It is very honoring for me.”
The expectations are only natural after Stroud’s record-breaking rookie campaign, which saw him throw for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions while completing nearly 64% of his passes for a 100.8 QB rating.
And that was on top of winning, which was a major reason the Texans went from being the NFL’s second-worst team in 2022 to one of the elite in a year’s time.
Just like that, Stroud became a household name, making the Pro Bowl, hitting the talk show circuit, and appearing on almost all of the popular sports podcast platforms.
But now it’s time to lock in as the Texans attempt to build on last season’s 10-7 record.
“Whatever happened in the offseason, look, players deal with a lot of stuff during the offseason, and I would say C.J. has handled himself very well,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio said. “He’s very mature. He’s very professional, but in the end the focus is on football because in the end a lot of that stuff that comes along with being a good player. The opportunities that you get are a result of what you do on the football field.”
To ensure that growth and winning continue, Caserio and second-year head coach DeMeco Ryans did not rest on their laurels this offseason. They added a couple of Pro Bowlers to the offensive mix, wide receiver Stefon Diggs and running back Joe Mixon.
They will combine with receivers Nico Collins and Tank Dell along with tight end Dalton Schultz to easily give the Texans one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL this season.
Stroud has already nicknamed them the five-headed monster and the growing connection between him and Diggs and the continued development of Dell gives credence to the preseason confidence.
Those around Stroud are excited about his development, too.
“Even though he’s always been good, I feel like it’s always improving,” Collins said. “I feel like it’s always room for improvement for everybody. And I feel like he’s willing to get everybody better around him. It’s his mission.”
