Houston Texans' C.J. Stroud Not Getting Caught Up in 'Glitz and Glamor' vs. Denver Broncos
HOUSTON — Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud did not care whether or not the Houston Texans played in front of a large audience this season. But Sunday afternoon at NRG Stadium, Stroud and the Texans will play against the Denver Broncos in sight of their biggest audience of the season.
"I knew how bad people thought we were going to be," Stroud said. "They thought we were going to be whatever they thought, but I think Jalen Hurts said it – 'we had a purpose before people had an opinion.'
"I think what we’re doing in the city of Houston and bringing people hope – that’s way more special than anything. That’s what we’re doing it for. We’re not doing it for the glitz and the glamor for us."
The NFL announced on Nov. 21 that the Texans' Week 13 contest against the Broncos was flexed from a 3:05 p.m. to noon kickoff. The change in time gave the Texans a chance to play in front of a national audience. According to NFL VP of Broadcast Planning Mike North, the rise of Stroud played a significant role in the flexed.
Since the Texans' season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, Stroud has established himself as the runaway favorite to take home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
He recently set a new record for the most passing yards through the first 11 games for a rookie with 3,266 yards, a record Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert held since 2020. Stroud's play has the Texans on the bubble of making their first postseason appearance since 2019.
His talent has coincided with the production he showcased for two years at Ohio State. And each time he has stepped onto an NFL field, except for a handful of snaps, Stroud has not resembled any traits of a rookie.
The ball is hiked to Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium.
Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports
Stroud has credited his impressive play to the time spent working and enhancing his game since training camp. But Stroud said offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik has played a tremendous role in his ongoing growth.
"He’s one of the people I appreciate because he’s very honest with me," Stroud said. "He holds me accountable game-in and game-out, no matter how good people say – he always has a coaching point or two to hit, and he’s always really honest, which I appreciate.
"He knows when to call certain plays and when not to, and my job is to always make him right, and I feel like we have a good chemistry in what we’ve built these last couple weeks, and we’re just going to keep growing from there."
By moving the game to a noon kickoff, the Texans will not have to compete with Fox's broadcast of the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers. CBS will broadcast Texans and Broncos to over half of the country. But Stroud's top priority is to put on another prominent performance for Houston despite the national attention.
"It’s about what we think in that locker room," Stroud said. "When we look each other in the eyes before we run out of that tunnel, we want to go out there and do it for each other and win games. And do it for the city of Houston."
