Yardbarker
x
C.J. Stroud Faces a Defining Offseason in Houston
Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

C.J. Stroud Faces a Defining Offseason in Houston

Originally posted on The Lead  |  By Cody Taylor  |  Last updated Jan 22, 2026 3:31 PM ET

After overcoming a 0-3 start to make the playoffs, the Houston Texans’ season came to a close on Sunday. The 28-16 loss to the New England Patriots snapped the Texans’ 10-game winning streak.

As a result, the Texans remain winless in the Divisional Round. Another poor offensive showing doomed the team, and the lion’s share of the blame rests at the feet of quarterback C.J. Stroud. After a poor showing against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card Round, he couldn’t afford to have the outing he did.

It now feels like Stroud is playing on borrowed time in Houston.

The Steady Decline From Year 1

Stroud started his career with a bang after being drafted No. 2 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. In his rookie season, he went 9-6 as a starter. He threw for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. Houston won the AFC South under Stroud’s leadership, and he received Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. 

Since that stellar rookie season, his performance has steadily declined over the last two seasons. His numbers in 2024 dipped to 3,727 yards, 20 touchdowns, while throwing 12 interceptions. The drop in his play raised eyebrows, but it wasn’t enough to sound off major alarms.

Then came the 2025 season — when concerns started to really mount. Stroud threw for 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. He threw for 381 fewer yards from his rookie season to his second, 686 from year two to three, and 1,067 from year one to year three. There were many games in which, had Stroud protected the ball, Houston could have won more.

While it is difficult to definitively explain what is happening with Stroud, it is clear that something is not functioning properly. Some media members pointed to Stroud’s postgame interaction with then-rookie Caleb Williams as a mental turning point, as he has failed to recapture anything close to his rookie season play.

Nightmare Playoff Run

Stroud is 3-3 in his playoff career. While his rookie and second year playoff efforts ran into the No. 1 seed Baltimore Ravens and defending-champion Kansas City Chiefs, respectively, this season presented Houston with its best opportunity yet. They drew a Steelers team led by a 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers, the Patriots with Drake Maye in his first playoff run, and a Broncos team without starting quarterback Bo Nix. Stroud just had to play average, and they had a clear path to the Super Bowl.

But from the start of the Steelers game, it felt like that opportunity was out of reach. Stroud had a staggering five fumbles in addition to an interception. The Texans led just 7-6 entering the fourth quarter despite stellar defensive play. Houston overcame his poor performance then, but it was clearly not a winning recipe.

The Patriots game was a defensive slugfest until it wasn’t. Stroud had four interceptions in the first half. The game got out of hand for Stroud quickly and the team could not rally. 

Stroud’s Future in Houston

It was a bleak ending to a storybook season. The team overcame their second 0-3 start into a playoff run since 2018. The path to Santa Clara for Super Bowl LX was there.

C.J. Stroud let the team down when they needed him to step up the most, or at the very least, not commit 7 turnovers. The offense prevented a championship-caliber defense from leading the way.

There isn’t a free agent quarterback or trade that can be made for an immediate fix. The Texans hold the 28th pick in this year’s NFL Draft. Outside of Fernando Mendoza, there isn’t a quarterback in the class that would make a difference.

Stroud needs to have the offseason of his life. Head coach DeMeco Ryans had Stroud’s back publicly after the loss, telling him: “Keep your head up, I love you, I got your back.”

While Stroud has Ryans’ backing, it won’t be for long if there aren’t drastic changes in how he prepares. He is eligible for an extension this offseason, but that playoff performance likely delayed that for a season.

Stroud is more than likely to be around for the next two seasons, and if he wants to recapture the faith of the Texans organization and fanbase, he will need to lock in like never before. Stroud may be playing on borrowed time, and the way for him to buy more of it is with his preparation this offseason.

This article first appeared on The Lead and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads:

Customize Your Newsletter

Yardbarker +

Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.