QB CJ Stroud ‘Blessed’ to be ‘Vessel’ for Christ as Texans Head to Playoffs
By Movieguide® Contributor
The Houston Texans rookie quarterback CJ Stroud thanked God for the opportunity for his team to go to the playoffs.
On Saturday night, the Texans claimed a 23-19 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, securing a spot in the playoffs.
“Man, it’s a blessing. I can’t do nothing but thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” Stroud said, becoming emotional.
“I put a lot of work in, my team has. Everybody counted us out from the start, so it’s just special to see the city of Houston just on the come-up again,” he continued. “I’m just blessed enough to be the vessel that Christ picked to lead this great franchise. So, I can do nothing but just thank the Lord.”
Stroud openly displays his faith on the field through wristbands he wears when he plays. On them, he draws a cross and writes “Triple 7’s,” “to the glory of God” and “Proverbs 3:5-6,” which is his “favorite scripture.”
Stroud told ESPN the moment was “tremendously special.”
“Just the time that we put in together, to see the fruits of that labor to come to be, it’s a blessing,” Stroud stated. “Man, I’m just blessed to be a part of this.”
“Saturday night capped a stellar rookie season in which he finished with 4,108 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, five interceptions and a passer rating of 100.8. Stroud became the fifth rookie in NFL history to reach the 4,000-yard passing milestone as he led the Texans to the playoffs for the first time since 2019 in coach DeMeco Ryans’ first season,” ESPN reported.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans said of Stroud after the game, “C.J. doesn’t surprise me. We talked about it earlier in the week with C.J. being special in these big-time moments when you need it most, to step up and make plays. He’s done it time after time throughout the entire year. It’s not surprising. That’s who he is. He’s one of the best passers in this league. And he shows it consistently, game in and game out.”
With the win on Saturday night, the Texans won the AFC South championship and will host the Cleveland Browns this weekend on their home turf.
Stroud has never wavered when speaking about his faith in God. Movieguide® recently reported:
After their win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, the Texans are now 5-4. Following the game, Stroud reflected on how God sustains him on and off the field.
“For me it’s a lot of prayer and knowing that God wouldn’t put anything on me that I can’t handle,” he began. “I don’t deserve His grace and His mercy, but He still gives it to me, and I love Him for that. It’s not about me. It’s about Him and His glory. I think that’s where it comes from, I think God made me like that. Not only in football but also in things that make me kind of chill when everything is going crazy. And I thank God for putting that on me.”
Per Sports Spectrum, Stroud said of his career, “I couldn’t be up here—I couldn’t do anything on that field—without my Lord and Savior.”
“He’s given me a sense of peace even when everything around me is going crazy,” the quarterback continued.
