'Depending on Me!' C.J. Stroud Embracing Texans 'Privilege'
The Houston Texans trailed the Indianapolis Colts 28-10 at halftime Sunday at NRG Stadium.
While the Colts coasted to the finish, the Texans showed a fire late to make a comeback attempt, and it started with the play of quarterback C.J. Stroud. The No. 2 overall pick put the team on his back, and while most rookies could naturally feel overwhelmed by the pressure to perform, Stroud embraces it.
“I think people are depending on me, and I love that responsibility,” Stroud said. "A lot of people don’t get to live the life I do. It’s hard. Don’t get me wrong, it’s hard, but it’s a privilege. I’m blessed enough to wake up every day to walk, to talk, to smell, to interact with people, to play football.”
Stroud's underdog mentality started when he was in high school. He originally wasn't a bright, shiny recruit topping the charts of 247Sports, On3 and Rivals.
However, after throwing for 6,200 yards and 66 touchdowns at Rancho Cucamonga High School and winning the Elite 11 Finals MVP — a premier showcase camp for the country's best high school quarterbacks — Stroud vaulted to a top-50 recruit in the class of 2020.
Stroud battled adversity with the incarceration of his father throughout his childhood but took a leap of faith going from southern California to Ohio State, where the expectations to perform were even higher.
In Columbus, Ohio, some think that if the Buckeyes were to go 1-11 with a win against Michigan, that would constitute a successful season. Stroud was 0-2 against the Wolverines and wore it on the chin that that would be a part of his Ohio State legacy after the Buckeyes lost their first home game against their rival since 2000.
How did he respond, though? Oh, just by going toe-to-toe with the eventual back-to-back national champion by throwing for 348 yards and four touchdowns without arguably the best wide receiver in the country for the final quarter, while scampering for 27 yards on the final drive to give the Buckeyes a glimmer of hope at victory.
That resiliency and perseverance Stroud showed in the Peach Bowl has followed him early into his NFL career, and his teammates are taking notice.
“Wherever C.J. is going, I am following because I know the type of person he is, and he is on the path to success,” wide receiver Nico Collins said. “That’s where I and many of my teammates want to be. C.J. has an attitude that he cannot fail because he has so many people depending on him to be great.”
Stroud is currently fourth in the NFL with 626 passing yards, trying to prove the doubters wrong yet again in his life.
