Stroud Leading Texans with Poise and Purpose in Second Season
C.J. Stroud's ascent in the NFL has been nothing short of meteoric. The No. 2 overall pick has quickly established himself as the face of the Houston Texans, leading the team to an AFC South title and a playoff victory in his rookie year. As he enters his second training camp, Stroud is brimming with confidence and setting his sights on even loftier goals.
Stroud began his rookie campaign with a statement, breaking franchise records in passing yards, touchdowns, completions, and attempts. His historic season also made him the youngest quarterback in NFL history to win a playoff game. Reflecting on the upcoming season, Stroud shared, "Definitely a little more confident just knowing how training camp works, the reps I'll take."
Part of Stroud's growth has been embracing his role as a leader on and off the field. "Going with the ones. Last year, I really didn't know that until the very beginning of the regular season," he noted. Now, it's clear that Stroud is not only the team's starting quarterback but also its standard-bearer. "There's a ton of things. Owning the offense more, the operation. Putting more on my plate with run checks and protection checks, things like that," he explained.
Building camaraderie and chemistry will be essential for Stroud and the Texans as they aim to capitalize on their recent success. The addition of wideout Stefon Diggs and running back Joe Mixon in the offseason provides Stroud with more weapons to enhance the Texans' offensive potency. "Right now it's just trying to not only build the camaraderie, but also be a leader with the first team so the second and third and everybody who's watching that this is the standard. It's up to me to set that standard and I have to do that every day," Stroud emphasized.
With a promising roster and a quarterback eager to improve, the Texans are considered a favorite to retain their AFC South crown. Stroud, however, remains laser-focused on the present. "The message is just keep the main thing, the main thing. Of course, we have not only a lot of expectations, we have a lot of big goals on this team. That's how it should be," he said.
Stroud understands the importance of maintaining confidence and executing a well-crafted plan. "You know, the person that always doubts himself will probably never make it, so you have to have confidence and a goal and a plan and execute that plan," he revealed. His maturity and wisdom belie his youth, indicating that the Texans are in capable hands moving forward.
As the team prepares for the upcoming season, Stroud's focus is on the immediate task at hand. "Really you need to be where your feet are. We're in training camp right now. We've got to just execute that and making sure we're taking every day to get better," he explained.
Ultimately, Stroud's goal is simple: to win. "You win, you move on, so that's the goal from start to finish," he stated. With his sights set on a Super Bowl LIX appearance, C.J. Stroud is gearing up to lead the Houston Texans to new heights.