2023 No. 2 Overall Pick Received Critical Advice From Tom Brady Over Lunch

Becoming a starting quarterback in the NFL is an accomplishment in and of its own, but it is retaining that position that might be more difficult than obtaining it in the first place. One's play does not necessarily guarantee that they will keep the job. If the team is not winning there are possibilities that could arise that could see that quarterback lose his job, but in order to maintain it you will need to rally the troops in the locker room to get the whole team on the same page to be successful.

This past April in the 2023 NFL Draft former Ohio State University quarterback C.J. Stroud was drafted second overall by the Houston Texans becoming the youngest player in the locker room.

Being drafted so highly as quarterback comes with its own pressures but being the youngest guy on the team while trying to win over the locker room and become an immediate leader amongst men is also extremely challenging.

There is always a learning curve as a player transfers over from college football into a professional league such as the NFL and Stroud has seen bumps in the road thus far, but it appears that he is handling those challenges fairly well leading his team to a 3-3 record - good for second in the AFC South.

Much of the success that Stroud and the Texans are seeing is due to Stroud putting forth the effort in connecting with his teammates.

In an interview with ESPN's D.J. Bien-Amie, Stroud pointed towards creating relationships with his teammates as something that has helped him thus far, including a conversation over lunch with the greatest quarterback of all-time Tom Brady and Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin.

"On TV, you look at [star quarterbacks] and think, 'Man, they're just so busy. They can't hang out with their teammates. They're probably just locked in on what they got going,'" Stroud said. "And [Brady] was like, 'I just never want to let my teammates down.' He said those words exactly. I was like, 'Man, that's how I am.'

"I love kicking it with my boys. Those are my brothers. So it definitely hit home when he was talking about it."

The advice from Brady definitely seems to be working for Stroud as he looks to be on pace to win the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year award completing 127 of his 213 pass attempts for 1,660 yards and nine touchdowns to just a single interception.

Stroud's approach with his teammates should only continue to help establish those deeper connections that go further than just on the field and in doing so will continue to see success on the field.

It is just his first season, but Stroud is showing signs of a quarterback who will have longevity in the league as long as he remains healthy and continues to hold himself to the high standard of those vets who have come before him.

Stick with BucsGameday and the Locked On Bucs podcast for more coverage of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers throughout the 2023 season.

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