Houston Texans top executive clears the air on future of C.J. Stroud

The NFL offseason has moved past the NFL Draft and now shifts deeper into offseason workouts. Mini-camps and training camps will begin soon.

Teams have made aggressive moves in free agency and the draft to bolster their rosters. Despite those efforts, some still face key questions across their depth charts.

The Houston Texans fall into that group, and, oddly enough, their biggest question surrounds the future of quarterback C.J. Stroud. Some media outlets have speculated that the Texans could move on within the next year or two. CEO Cal McNair delivered a clear message Monday: Stroud has the team’s full support.

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During the annual meetings last month, McNair stated that the team is “totally behind” Stroud. The Houston Chronicle reported that McNair has since doubled down on that stance.

That statement may quiet the speculation. The Texans committed to Stroud as their franchise quarterback when they selected him second overall in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Stroud’s rookie season showcased his brilliance, and he has led the Texans to postseason victories in each of his first three seasons. However, the 2025 season proved challenging for the former Ohio State standout.

Stroud and the Texans’ offense struggled with consistency throughout the year. The team leaned heavily on an elite defense, which scored two touchdowns in their wild-card victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The offense managed just one score that night in Pittsburgh.