.png) Stroud in 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| No. 7 – Houston Texans | |||||||||||||||
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| Position | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
| Born | (2001-10-03)October 3, 2001 (age 24) Rancho Cucamonga, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 218 lb (99 kg) | ||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||
| High school | Rancho Cucamonga (CA) | ||||||||||||||
| College | Ohio State (2020–2022) | ||||||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2023: 1st round,2nd overall pick | ||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||
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| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 12, 2025 | |||||||||||||||
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Coleridge Bernard "C. J."Stroud IV (born October 3, 2001) is an American professionalfootballquarterback for theHouston Texans of theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theOhio State Buckeyes, where he holds several school records, including most passing yards in a single game with 573, as well as being the first player to throw for six touchdowns three times. Stroud was aHeisman Trophy finalist in 2021 and 2022, and was subsequently selected by the Houston Texanssecond overall in the2023 NFL draft. In his rookie season, he led the Texans to a division title and playoff victory en route to winning theOffensive Rookie of the Year Award.
Stroud was born on October 3, 2001, inRancho Cucamonga, California, the youngest of four children.[1][2] In 2016, his father, Coleridge Bernard Stroud III, received a 38-years-to-life sentence after pleading guilty to kidnapping, carjacking and robbery in connection with a drug-related incident under California'sthree-strikes law.[3] As of 2023, his father has been incarcerated since Stroud was in middle school,[2][4] and is serving his sentence inFolsom State Prison nearSacramento. The incarceration sent the Stroud family into severe financial debt; they lived in a small apartment above a storage facility as Stroud enteredRancho Cucamonga High School.[5][6][7]
As a senior, he was theInland Valley Daily Bulletin offensive player of the year after passing for 3,878 yards and 47 touchdowns.[8] In 2019, he was the MVP of theElite 11.[9] Stroud was selected to play in the 2020All-American Bowl.[10] Initially considered a 3-star recruit, Stroud finished high school as the third-highest rated quarterback of his class.[11][12] He committed toOhio State University to play college football.[13][14][15]
Stroud has been friends withCarolina Panthers quarterbackBryce Young since the two went to high schools located inSouthern California. The two continued their friendship in college, and ultimately were selected with the first two picks in the2023 NFL draft.[16]
Stroud spent his truefreshman year at Ohio Stateredshirting as a backup toJustin Fields.[17][18] He played just eightsnaps in 2020, throwing no passes, but did score a 48-yard rushing touchdown againstMichigan State.[19] He also played one snap in the2021 Sugar Bowl againstClemson after Fields took a hard hit to the ribs.[20]
Stroud was named the starting quarterback as a redshirt freshman following the departure of Fields to the2021 NFL draft. He was chosen over freshmenKyle McCord,Quinn Ewers, and fellow redshirt freshmanJack Miller III. CoachRyan Day credited his decision-making, leadership skills, and accuracy as the reasons that he earned the starting spot.[21]
Stroud started every game for the Buckeyes aside from a week 4 game againstAkron in order to rest a shoulder injury he sustained in the season opener.[22] Over the season, he earned first-team All-Big Ten Honors; was named theBig Ten quarterback of the year; won Big Ten Freshman of the Week six times; was a finalist for both theDavey O'Brien Award and theHeisman Trophy; and became the only quarterback in Ohio State history to throw five touchdowns against a Big Ten competitor four times in one season.[23] He led the team to a 10–2 record in the regular season, with losses toOregon andbitter rivalMichigan.[24] The loss to Michigan cost Ohio State the chance to play in the Big Ten Championship. Ohio State bounced back from this disappointment at theRose Bowl; coming back from a 14-point deficit againstUtah to win 48–45. Stroud broke both school and Rose Bowl records with 573 yards thrown in the Rose Bowl; he also tied a school record and set a Rose Bowl record with six touchdown passes.[25] He finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting.[26]
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Following a successful 2021 season, Stroud entered 2022 as one of the best players in college football, as well as the betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.[27][28] On October 8, 2022, Stroud threw six touchdown passes againstMichigan State, setting a conference record for “most six passing touchdown games in a career” (with 3), and passedJustin Fields to move to second place on theOhio State career passing touchdowns list.[29][30] Stroud and the Buckeyes once again came up short against rival Michigan in their annual meeting, this time losingat home in Columbus 45–23.[31] Despite the loss, the Buckeyes were selected as the fourth and final team for theCollege Football Playoff.[32] In thePeach Bowl semifinal against the top-seededGeorgia Bulldogs, Stroud had a strong performance, throwing for 348 yards and four touchdowns, but the Buckeyes lost 42–41, ending their season.[33] At the conclusion of the regular season, he again was named a finalist for the Heisman trophy for his season.[34] He finished third in the voting behind winnerCaleb Williams from USC andMax Duggan from TCU.[35] On January 16, 2023, Stroud announced that he would forgo his remaining two years of college eligibility and enter the2023 NFL draft.[36]
| Season | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Avg | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | |||
| 2020 | Ohio State | 3 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 48 | 48.0 | 1 | |
| 2021 | Ohio State | 12 | 12 | 10–2 | 317 | 441 | 71.9 | 4,435 | 10.1 | 44 | 6 | 186.6 | 32 | −20 | −0.6 | 0 | |
| 2022 | Ohio State | 13 | 13 | 11–2 | 258 | 389 | 66.3 | 3,688 | 9.5 | 41 | 6 | 177.7 | 47 | 108 | 2.3 | 0 | |
| Career | 28 | 25 | 21–4 | 575 | 830 | 69.3 | 8,123 | 9.8 | 85 | 12 | 182.4 | 80 | 136 | 1.7 | 1 | ||
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 214 lb (97 kg) | 32+5⁄8 in (0.83 m) | 10 in (0.25 m) | |||||||||
| All values from theNFL Combine[37][38] | ||||||||||||
Stroud was selected by theHouston Texans with the second overall pick in the2023 NFL draft on April 27, 2023.[39] Being second overall, Stroud became the highest drafted quarterback in Ohio State's history.[40]
On September 10, 2023, Stroud made his NFL debut in week 1 against theBaltimore Ravens, where he threw for 242 yards in the 25–9 loss.[41] During week 2 against theIndianapolis Colts, Stroud threw his first two NFL touchdowns, one toNico Collins and the other toTank Dell, and finished with 384 passing yards in the 31–20 loss. Stroud's 384 yards are the second-most in a single game by a Texans rookie quarterback.[42] The following week, against theJacksonville Jaguars, Stroud finished 20-of-30 for 280 yards with two touchdowns as the Texans won 37–17 for his first career win.[43] He also joinedCam Newton andJustin Herbert as the only players in NFL history to put up at least 900 passing yards in their first three games.[44] Stroud was named the Offensive Rookie of the Month for September, finishing the month with 78 completions on 121 attempts with 906 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions.[45]
In week 5, Stroud threw his 177th pass attempt without an interception, breaking the previous NFL record set byDak Prescott for the most pass attempts without an interception to begin a career in NFL history in a 21–19 loss to theAtlanta Falcons.[46] The streak ended the following week against theNew Orleans Saints at 191 attempts; Saints linebackerZack Baun intercepted the pass but had the ball punched out by wide receiverNico Collins with offensive tackleTytus Howard recovering the ball for the Texans.[47] In week 8, Stroud faced his friend and fellow top draft pickBryce Young for the first time in the NFL. Young came out on top in a defensive battle, 15–13. Stroud threw for 140 yards and had his first rushing touchdown in the loss.[48] In week 9, Stroud passed for 470 yards, breaking the single-game passing yard record for a rookie quarterback that was previously set byAndrew Luck in 2012. Stroud also passed for five touchdowns, during a 39–37 comeback victory over theTampa Bay Buccaneers.[49] The game also marked just the third time in NFL history a quarterback has thrown for at least 470 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions, joiningY.A. Tittle andBen Roethlisberger.[50]
In week 14 against theNew York Jets, Stroud suffered a concussion during the fourth quarter as the Texans lost 30–6.[51] After a two-game absence, Stroud made his return in week 17 against theTennessee Titans, completing 24 of 32 passes for 213 yards and one touchdown in a 26–3 victory.[52] In a win-or-go-home situation against the Colts, Stroud completed 20 of 26 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns in a 23–19 win, clinching the Texans' first playoff berth since 2019.[53] During this game, Stroud became just the fifth quarterback in NFL history to pass for over 4,000 yards in their rookie season.[54] Stroud also became the third player in league history to lead the league in passing yards per game (273.9) and touchdown/interception ratio (4.6) in the same season, joiningTom Brady in 2007 andJoe Montana in 1989.[55] He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.[56] He was named theNFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.[57]
In his playoff debut against theCleveland Browns in theWild Card round, Stroud tied the rookie record for most passing touchdowns in a playoff game and became the youngest quarterback to win a playoff game in league history as the Texans won 45–14.[58] Stroud finished the game completing 16 of 21 passes for 274 yards, three touchdowns, and anear-perfect passer rating of 157.2.[59] In theDivisional round against the top-seeded Ravens in a rematch of week 1, Stroud was held in check, completing 19 of 33 passes for 175 yards and a 72.2 rating as the Texans lost, 34–10.[60]
Stroud began the season by leading the Texans to back-to-back victories over theIndianapolis Colts andChicago Bears, throwing for a combined 494 yards, three touchdowns, and no turnovers.[61][62]In week 4 against theJacksonville Jaguars, Stroud passed for 345 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Texans on a nine-play, 69-yard touchdown drive with under 20 seconds remaining to secure a 24–20 victory.[63] In week 6, Stroud threw for 192 yards with three touchdowns in the 41–21 win over theNew England Patriots, improving to 5–1 on the season.[64]
Despite a strong start, Stroud faced challenges during his sophomore season. In week 7 against theGreen Bay Packers, Stroud completed under half his passes for 86 yards in a 24–22 loss.[65] Against theNew York Jets in week 9, Stroud completed only 11-of-30 passes and was sacked eight times in a 21–13 loss.[66] OnSunday Night Football in week 10, he recorded 232 passing yards and a touchdown but threw two interceptions toDetroit Lions cornerbackCarlton Davis as the Texans lost 26–23, despite leading 23–7 at one point.[67] Stroud threw two more interceptions in a week 12 upset loss to the Titans as the Texans dropped to 7–5.[68]
OnChristmas Day against theBaltimore Ravens, Stroud had one of the worst outings of his career, completing 54.8% of his passes for 185 yards and an interception in a 31–2 loss. His passer rating of 59.2 was one of the lowest of his career.[69] Stroud finished his second season with 3,727 yards, a 63.2 completion percentage, 20 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, an 87.0 passer rating, and 52 sacks, all of which were a decline from his breakout rookie campaign.[70] Despite a 5–6 finish to the season, the Texans were still able to clinch their second consecutive AFC South title.[71] In the Wild Card round against theLos Angeles Chargers, Stroud completed 22 of 33 passes, accompanied with a touchdown and an interception as he led the Texans to a 32–12 home victory[72][73] including a busted play in the second quarter where Stroud recovered a botched snap near his own end zone and connected withXavier Hutchinson for a 34-yard gain.[74] Stroud and the Texans saw their season end once again in theDivisional Round, this time being a 23–14 loss to the Chiefs.[75]
In Week 5, Stroud completed 23 of 27 passes for 244 yards and four touchdowns in a 44-10 win over theBaltimore Ravens, earning AFC Offensive Player of the Week.[76]
In a 18-15 loss to theDenver Broncos in Week 9, Stroud got hit hard byKris Abrams-Draine early in the 2nd quarter, which gave him a concussion.[77] He missed the next three games.[78]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Led the league | |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacks | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | Y/G | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Sck | SckY | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2023 | HOU | 15 | 15 | 9–6 | 319 | 499 | 63.9 | 4,108 | 8.2 | 273.9 | 75 | 23 | 5 | 100.8 | 39 | 167 | 4.3 | 16 | 3 | 38 | 331 | 8 | 4 |
| 2024 | HOU | 17 | 17 | 10–7 | 336 | 532 | 63.2 | 3,727 | 7.0 | 219.2 | 67 | 20 | 12 | 87.0 | 52 | 233 | 4.5 | 25 | 0 | 52 | 408 | 6 | 4 |
| 2025 | HOU | 8 | 8 | 3–5 | 161 | 242 | 66.5 | 1,702 | 7.0 | 212.8 | 50 | 11 | 5 | 93.4 | 29 | 189 | 6.5 | 30 | 0 | 17 | 148 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 40 | 40 | 22–18 | 816 | 1,273 | 64.1 | 9,537 | 7.5 | 238.4 | 75 | 54 | 22 | 93.7 | 120 | 589 | 4.9 | 30 | 3 | 107 | 887 | 14 | 8 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacks | Fumbles | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | Y/G | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Sck | SckY | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2023 | HOU | 2 | 2 | 1–1 | 35 | 54 | 64.8 | 449 | 8.3 | 224.5 | 76 | 3 | 0 | 109.3 | 4 | 10 | 2.5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | HOU | 2 | 2 | 1–1 | 41 | 61 | 67.2 | 527 | 8.6 | 263.5 | 41 | 1 | 1 | 92.7 | 12 | 84 | 7.0 | 28 | 0 | 11 | 79 | 2 | 0 |
| Career | 4 | 4 | 2–2 | 76 | 115 | 66.1 | 976 | 8.5 | 244.0 | 76 | 4 | 1 | 100.5 | 16 | 94 | 5.9 | 28 | 0 | 11 | 79 | 2 | 0 | |
Stroud is the son of Coleridge and Kimberly Stroud. He has two older brothers and one older sister.[82] He has spoken publicly about hisChristian faith, and is known to say: “First and foremost I’ve got to thank my Lord and SaviorJesus Christ” during interviews.[83][84]
