What C.J. Stroud said after leading the Texans to the playoffs
C.J. Stroud and the Houston Texans secured a spot in the NFL playoffs on Saturday with a 23-19 win over the Indianapolis Colts.
The rookie quarterback was emotional after the game as he spoke to ESPN’s Lisa Salters about what the win meant to him.
“It’s a blessing. I can’t do nothin’ but just thank my Lord and savior Jesus Christ,” he said.
An emotional C.J. Stroud after leading the Houston Texans to a postseason berth pic.twitter.com/yqJcdNSMTv
— Chancellor Johnson (@ChancellorTV) January 7, 2024
Stroud went on to describe how special it feels to lead the Texans, who were in rebuild mode this offseason, to a playoff berth.
“I’m just blessed enough to be the vessel that Christ picked to lead this great franchise. I can do nothing but just thank the Lord,” he said.
Salters then asked the young quarterback, an Ohio State product, to explain the messages he’d written to himself on his wristband.
“I put a lot of stuff,” Stroud said, then listed a drawing of a cross, a reference to his friend group and a nickname for the now-deceased cousin who introduced him to football.
He also included Proverbs 3:5-6, which he described as his “favorite scripture.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 reads, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
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What faith is C.J. Stroud?
Saturday night was far from the first time Stroud spoke about his faith.
He regularly references God and the Bible in his interviews and on social media, and he spoke often about his faith ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft.
“One thing that I start with is just my foundation as ... a man of God,” Stroud told CBS Sports last spring when asked why he should be a top draft pick.
During an interview at the 2023 Super Bowl, Stroud shared a bit of his faith journey, noting that he found faith when he went to college.
“When I got to college, I found Christ for myself,” he said on the “Faith on the Field” radio show, according to Sports Spectrum. “It’s definitely something that I’m still learning to this day.”
Stroud describes himself as a “follower of Christ” on Instagram and X. After a game in September, he presented his NFL career as an opportunity to share the story of Jesus Christ with others.
“This is bigger than just ball, and if I have to use football for my purpose — to spread the Gospel and the life of Jesus Christ — then I’ll do that. And I think that’s what God wants,” he said, according to the Houston Chronicle.
During his postgame press conference Saturday, Stroud once again put the spotlight on his faith.
“I just want to give all glory and praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” he said.
