'Love Everybody!' Texans' C.J. Stroud Takes Stance After NBC Cut QB's Religious Message
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud drew headlines for his play during the postseason, but he also gained attention for a potential controversy not of his doing.
During the playoffs, a video of Stroud was posted to the "Sunday Night Football" X account where the quarterback shared love for the city of Houston after the Texans' win over the Cleveland Browns. What the video omitted, however, was Stroud's mention of Jesus Christ, which led to some backlash for NBC.
Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud (No. 7) quiets the huddle before a snap against the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Stroud, however, was not heated about the subject, instead electing to show love instead of resentment.
"I love everybody," Stroud said. "Christ has called us to love one another and just shine a light. That comes from Him. I really just really want to show that love and just really want people to experience my experience with finding Christ for you all and having that relationship with Him.
"I just really want to show love and show people what I stand for. I pray for everybody, and I don’t really have any feelings toward it. I just pray for everyone."
Stroud was a huge part of the Texans' revitalization as a franchise during his rookie season, throwing for over 4,000 yards and 23 touchdowns in a regular season that saw Houston return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
That's huge, but he is also part of a group of NFL faces who use the game as a platform for their faith, including San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and Kansas City Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt.
"I feel like, of course, football is amazing, but one day this sport will be done," Stroud said. "This is our passion, but I think our purposes are bigger than just football, and it’s cool to see people use their platform to show their purpose in the Lord."
