Texans OL Ed Ingram Continues to Stand Up for C.J. Stroud

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has seen a boatload of conversations––and mainly criticism––surrounding his name following how he ended last season.

After an up-and-down third season where he was unable to reclaim some of the magic seen during his rookie campaign, paired with a brutal ending in the form of a divisional round loss where he threw four interceptions against the New England Patriots, Stroud has heard it all this summer as he prepares for a pivotal 2026 season in Houston.

However, while the outside noise has been loud for Stroud, it hasn't been without a ton of internal support from his teammates and staff in the building.

Ed Ingram Becomes the Latest Texans Player to Stand Up for C.J. Stroud

That trend only continued with some of the recent comments made by Stroud's veteran offensive guard, Ed Ingram, who went to bat for his quarterback in a recent interview with KPRC2's Aaron Wilson right ahead of training camp kicking off later this month.

"I want people to put some respect on my boy No. 7, C.J. Stroud," Ingram said. "Think about it: ever since he's been here, we've been to the playoffs every year. This dude is a problem. I've been talking to him. He doesn't let the comments get to him. At the end of the day, we're playing a child's game and making grown-man money."

"At the end of the day, I have so much faith in the kid, bro. He's a frigging baller. I know this year he's going to lead this team to doing something we've never done before. He's definitely a problem. I have so much respect for him. Shoutout to C.J. Stroud.'

Ingram might be a newer face on the Texans' offensive line––having just arrived in Houston back in 2025 via a trade from the Minnesota Vikings––but he's certainly aware of the type of quarterback that Stroud is able to be at his best, even if last season's playoff exit didn't exactly showcase that.

As much as the Texans and their offense may have fallen short last year, one thing that Stroud has been consistently able to do throughout his three regular season showings is put together wins and playoff appearances, which not many quarterbacks have been able to do for three-straight years since 2023.

Only four other quarterbacks outside of Stroud in the NFL can say they've made the postseason every year since 2023: Josh Allen, Matthew Stafford, Jalen Hurts, and Jordan Love. That's a pretty exclusive and impressive list for Stroud to be a part of. And only one of those guys— Josh Allen— has won at least one playoff game in each of those three seasons.

Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) throws in front of Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Alex Highsmith (56) during the first half of an AFC Wild Card Round game at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Of course, that same group also has a couple of Super Bowl winners worth noting as well, and that's a club that Stroud himself is still clawing to make it into. This season, he might have his best shot at making that happen since arriving in Houston.

So if there was any moment for Stroud to have the perfect opportunity to silence the doubters, leading this Texans team to those Super Bowl heights this season for the first time in franchise history would be a great way to do just that.

And clearly, if you were to ask around the Texans roster and within the coaching staff, they have all of the confidence that Stroud can be their quarterback to do just that.

Time will tell if Stroud can deliver on that belief. But Ed Ingram, at the very least, is among those that are convinced that the Texans have the right guy under center.

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