Ohio State Legend Gets Strong Message From Peyton Manning

Ohio State legend and Houston Texans star quarterback C.J. Stroud has received a strong message from Peyton Manning.

“He went to the playoffs in his 2nd year. He was 22. Let’s be careful saying it was a down year. I didn’t win a playoff game ‘til my SIXTH year. He’s 2 for 2," Manning said.

This is high praise from Manning, who is one of the best NFL quarterbacks of all time. Manning's comments are spot on, as while Stroud's second season is considered a down year by many, he still won a playoff game for the second consecutive season.

In the 2024 season, Stroud completed 63.2 percent of his passes for 3,727 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. His numbers were down from his rookie season, where he completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, and five interceptions.

Stroud's dip in numbers can be attributed to the injuries to his receiving core and the offensive line. There were injuries to all three of his receivers, Stefon Diggs, Tank Dell, and Nico Collins, at some point during the season.

He was also sacked 52 times, which was the second most in the NFL.

The former Ohio State star is poised for a better third season as the Texans were aggressive in adding weapons and improving their offensive line this offseason, which could help him have the best season of his career.