By Mallory Mattingly
Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. stood up for his teammate, quarterback C.J. Stroud, after the Texans lost their Divisional playoff game to the New England Patriots.
In the first half of the game, Stroud threw four interceptions and struggled to get the offense going throughout the rest of the game.
“We just sat at the locker together man, and if I’m being 100% honest, it’s so much bigger than football,” Anderson told the media after the game, per Christhlete. “It’s so much bigger than what everybody has to say, especially for C.J. When he’s big on his faith, he knows who he does it for, he knows who he is, and he’s God’s, man, so God’s hands are upon him, he’s going to be good. We’re rocking behind him.”
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“I told him, ‘Man, I still think you’re the best quarterback in this league hands down. There’s nobody better than you,’ and we’re behind him,” the defensive end continued. “We’re rallying behind him, man. And like I said, obviously we didn’t have the outcome that we wanted, but that’s what we have off season for: to get better and to grow.”
Anderson wasn’t the only Texan to have their teammate’s back.
“Last year, it was me. Last year I was hurt. Both my knees were hurting, I gave up a touchdown. Dude standing over me, taunting me. I played terrible. So, I know exactly what it feels like to feel like you let the team down. I remember sitting in the locker room in Kansas City literally saying that to the whole team. I couldn’t look nobody in the face,” linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair recalled.
“So, for me, I know about that pain. I told C.J. already, it’s just the work — just put the work in. Don’t forget the feeling, let it fuel you to where you want to go moving forward for this next season,” he explained. “But that’s what it’s about. Just putting the work in, just putting your head down and just blocking out the noise and just correcting what you feel like you need to get better at.”
Following the Texans’ 16-28 loss to the Patriots, Stroud pointed to his faith in Christ.
While Stroud and the Texans didn’t get the outcome they hoped for, the quarterback will continue to lean on God, his family and his teammates as the Texans turn their attention to the off season and begin working towards next season’s Super Bowl.
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