C.J. Stroud's struggles the past two seasons, following an epic rookie campaign, culminated in a horrific, four-interception day in a Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots.
Stroud's performance in a game in which the defense still somehow gave the Texans a chance to win has sparked whispers about the QB's future in Houston. That's outside noise. Within the building, the coaching staff and teammates have supported Stroud relentlessly.
The latest example: Dalton Schultz, who pushed back against the Stroud narrative in an interview with the Ross Tucker Football Podcast, posted on Wednesday.
"Everybody has a bad game. Everybody has a rough (day) at the office," Schultz said when asked about Stroud's playoff disaster. "To be honest, not all that was on him. Everyone is going to pin it on him, because he's the quarterback -- and he understands that, we understand that. But I think what's important is realizing, separate yourself from that as who you are. One game doesn't define you, good or bad. It's all going to fall on you, regardless, so own it, bro, like the result is bad. We lost. Dude, I got hurt in the first quarter, it sucks. So I look at myself, and I'm like, 'Alright, that's never happened…do I need to do more next time? What can I change?'
"Everybody's got to turn themselves. It's not all on C.J. Do you think he throws some of those picks if he didn't have a guy in his lap? Everything is so entangled in football that it's hard to put anything on one guy ever."
The life of a quarterback is getting too much praise when things go well and too much blame when they slide sideways. It's the gig they've signed up for.
The chatter surrounding Stroud's future in Houston likely stems from the simple fact that there aren't many great options in free agency and a shallow draft pool this offseason. In a world of constant dot-connecting, a potential Stroud trade becomes plausible. But the reality is that Houston shouldn't be ready to move on from a player who won the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023.
The past two years of problems, however, could delay a long-term extension for Houston. Stroud became extension-eligible this offseason. A new multi-year deal would likely easily exceed the $200 million threshold. With the QB under contract in 2026 and with the team holding the fifth-year option in 2027, the Texans could wait on tying themselves to any long-term guarantees. The team would also hold franchise-tag options for the following few years. That would be potentially four years of club control without a long-term pact.
With massive QB money, the game becomes when to pay. Now, and get a jumpstart on the ever-escalating market? Wait, and see? We've watched clubs regret big deals that could have been avoided (Tua Tagovailoa). We've also seen the Dallas Cowboys backed into a corner after playing the franchise tag game with Dak Prescott, which is why the QB has a league-leading $60 million deal.
