HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Texans rookie C.J. Stroud is on pace to throw for more than 5,000 yards this season.
That would shatter the old rookie record held by Andrew Luck with 4,374 yards.
Stroud has been the league’s breakout star this fall, and he wants everyone to know his teammates have played a key role in his success. He credited veterans Jerry Hughes and Jon Greenard with helping him adjust to life in the NFL.
“The first thing they were like, ‘You’re not in this on your own. We’re right there with you, holding ourselves to the same standard you do. We’re right there.’ That takes a lot of pressure off my back,” Stroud said.
The 22-year-old has taken those words of encouragement and used them to fuel a debut season that’s already produced a Texans rookie record 20 touchdown passes.
Stroud also set a new NFL rookie record with 470 yards passing with five touchdowns in the comeback win over Tampa.
That game cemented Stroud’s status as one of the great fourth-quarter quarterbacks in the NFL.
In the last 40 years, he’s the only rookie quarterback to lead back-to-back game-winning drives that started in the final two minutes (vs. Cincinnati and Tampa).
The Ohio State product was recently honored as the AFC Offensive Player of the Month and NFL Rookie of the Month for November.
Heading into another key game for the Texans’ playoff hopes this Sunday against the Jets, Stroud knows he’s a part of something special with the Texans.
“I think it’s amazing, the games we’ve been able to win, especially in the stretch of those fourth-quarter games, and that kind of shows how tough of a team we can be and who we are. We’re resilient, and we’re going to keep proving that. It’s not just focused on me,” he noted this week.
