QB C.J. Stroud's playoff flop should give Texans pause in contract talks

Houston Texans third-year quarterback C.J. Stroud may have cost himself millions on Sunday.

Stroud flopped in a 28-16 AFC divisional round loss to the New England Patriots. The QB finished 20-of-47 passing for 212 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. He also posted a below-average 21.1 QBR.  

Stroud — who's entering the fourth year of his rookie contract in 2026, which includes a fifth-year option — is eligible for an extension this offseason. The Texans should exercise his fifth-year option but wait before giving him a new deal. His play since winning 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year hasn't merited a contract extension.

Why Texans should wait to give C.J. Stroud a contract extension

Spotrac estimates Stroud's market value is a three-year deal worth $51.6M annually. If the Texans gave him that proposed deal, he would be making more than Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes — a three-time Super Bowl champion — in terms of average annual value. Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450M contract after the 2019 season.

While talented, Stroud's clearly not in the same tier as Mahomes. During his rookie season in 2023, the former Ohio State Buckeyes star threw for 23 touchdown passes and 4,108 passing yards. He hasn't surpassed either mark since. In 14 regular-season games in 2025, the 24-year-old QB totaled a career-low 19 TD passes and 3,041 passing yards. 

Before the 2025 season, the Texans fired former offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, replacing him with Nick Caley. The coaching change certainly impacted Stroud. However, ESPN analyst Troy Aikman noted some of Houston's offensive problems fall on the QB, who hasn't improved over the past two seasons. 

"C.J. Stroud has been chasing his rookie success for the past two seasons. He's not the same player," the former Dallas Cowboys QB said during Houston's loss to New England (h/t Awful Announcing). "We've not seen the development from him. There's a reason for that, and it has to be addressed."