C.J. Stroud Makes Feelings Clear on Texans' New QB Coach

The Houston Texans made their biggest staff shakeup of this NFL offseason official just under a week away from free agency opening as they've officially promoted offensive assistant Jerry Schuplinski as their next quarterbacks coach.

After parting ways with their quarterbacks coach of the past three seasons, Jerrod Johnson, the Texans opted to call up their passing game coordinator and senior offensive assistant to claim that role moving forward, and hope to bring a nice boost to Houston's passing offense entirely.

For Texans' starter C.J. Stroud, promoting Schuplinski effectively brings a slight change of direction in the quarterback room, but also offers a bit of continuity as someone who's already been in Houston's facility since last season.

And based on some of his comments last season regarding his newly named quarterbacks coach, he appears to be a fan of what Schuplinski brings to the table.

“Jerry is amazing,” Stroud said of Schuplinski last season, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC2.“He’s somebody who is very vocal, challenging. He’s very old school. He reminds me of a long-lost uncle, just how he approaches how he coaches. I think he’s done a great job of challenging us to push other guys and also push ourselves to be great.”

C.J. Stroud Says Jerry Schuplinski is 'Amazing'

Having won over the starting quarterback is a strong start for any lead coaching voice in the room, like Schuplinski is set to be next season. And it appears Stroud is well on board with what his new coach can provide as someone who he not only thinks highly of personally, but also a coach that can push him to be even better.

Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) warms up before an AFC Divisional Round game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Schuplinski has a good bit of experience around the league before he arrived with the Texans during last season.

He was a senior offensive assistant with the Rams in 2024 before joining Houston to work alongside the minds of Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay, and got his start in the NFL coaching the New England Patriots as an offensive assistant from 2013 to 2018, of course joining forces with Tom Brady.

Having that voice in the ear of Stroud should be a positive asset to have, especially as the Texans quarterback heads into what could be his most important year as a pro yet.

Stroud will likely be signing his fifth-year option on his rookie contract this offseason to secure his spot in Houston for another year past 2026, but could hold off on inking an extension as he attempts to rebuild his value for the coming campaign, and thus land a bigger contract in the 2027 offseason.

Therefore, a large responsibility will rely on the shoulders of Schuplinski to get the most out of Stroud in a year where his back is a bit against the wall. The better Stroud shows up, the better the situation is for everyone involved, and could help lead the Texans collectively to higher heights from three-straight divisional round losses.

What happens next for the Texans? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second and sign up for our free newsletter and get breaking Texans news delivered to your inbox daily!