The 2025 NFL season marks the third year of Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud's professional career. After a stellar rookie season, the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft dealt with some bumps along the way in his sophomore campaign.
Unfortunately for the Texans, Stroud has yet to recapture his rookie form in 2025, averaging just 208 yards passing per game this season with four touchdowns and three interceptions. Most importantly, the Texans are off to a 1-3 start.
One area where Stroud's numbers are up compared to his first two NFL seasons is his ability to take off and run. The Texans signal-caller is on pace to easily clear the 233 rushing yards he totaled in 2024, totaling 92 yards through four games.
However, when asked about scrambling and his acceleration/speed, Stroud's response was a bit head-scratching.
"I got to just continue to be harder (on) myself about not only just lifting weights but eating the right foods, like, that's been a big thing too," Stroud said, per Bleacher Report's Paul Kasabian. "So, yeah, that's just a thing where I think the explosiveness comes from, like, being better on my diet, being better with, you know, stretching."
Then came Stroud's comment, which has gained traction quickly on social media.
"I feel like I'm getting old," Stroud said. "I'm not as quick as I used to be. I was watching my high school stuff a couple of days ago. I was like (180 pounds), and I was rolling. But not no more. But yeah. I try to just be better with that stuff so I can run fast."
C.J. Stroud said he feels he's lost some athleticism as he gets older
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 2, 2025
Stroud was watching his high school highlights reminiscing on his quickness pic.twitter.com/eKkMJPgvFN
The "getting old" comment from Stroud sparked plenty of reactions from fans, and considering the Texans quarterback just turned 24 on Oct. 3, it's easy to understand why.
To make this comment even more surprising, among the 2025 Week 1 NFL starting quarterbacks, Stroud was one of four players who began the year at age 23.
After playing in 27 games over his three collegiate seasons at Ohio State — he didn't register a passing stat as a freshman — Stroud has tallied just 36 NFL regular-season games and four playoff appearances.
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