Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud enters a pivotal fourth season after last year’s struggles have put contract extension talks on pause in Houston.
Stroud followed up a sensational rookie campaign in 2023 with two down years by those standards. In 2025, he struggled behind a porous offensive line, throwing for 3,041 yards and 19 TDs with 8 INTs in 14 games. The Texans' playoff loss in New England was the low point for Stroud, who threw four interceptions and looked overwhelmed at times.
The horrific playoff performance has Stroud under intense pressure entering the 2026 season.
"Pressure is a privilege," Stroud told ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime. "I'm excited. I've always been challenged in my career. I've always had to persevere through things, and I think this is something that I'm grateful for. I didn't wake up and forget how to play football."
His downtrending play over the past two seasons muted extension talks most of the offseason. The club recently reiterated that once the season starts, there would be no contract discussions until 2027. With the club prepping to face the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, it’s a safe bet those talks will be tabled until after the season.
Stroud hasn’t run away from criticism. The Ohio State product is well-versed in ignoring the chatter, particularly from social media.
"People are quick to use Twitter," Stroud said. "I focus on me. I can't control [social media], so why would I care? Of course I'm human. I learned if some people had the opportunity to be me, they would. But a lot of people have opinions and don't have opportunities.
"So the more opinions people have, the more opportunity that I have to prove who I am. They love to critique. That's part of life. I play in an entertainment sport, so they're critical of a lot of people. I have the opportunity to go play. No one can stop that."
The Texans have a roster built to win now. The big questions are whether the offensive line is actually fixed this time around and whether Stroud can get back to the poised quarterback we saw in his rookie season. The two issues are linked, and the jury is still out on whether either the blocking or the QB is poised to improve in 2026.
One thing is certain: despite the outside noise, Stroud hasn’t lost confidence within the locker room.
"He's built for everything," receiver Nico Collins told ESPN. "We believe in him, we love him. This is the best position he can be in right now. I feel like he is about to go out and show the whole world what he's made of, and I can't wait. We got his back 100%, all the way."