Ex-NFL star calls out CJ Stroud as contract decision looms
CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans were eliminated from the NFL Playoffs with a Divisional Round loss against the New England Patriots.
This year’s playoff run was not only major for the organization as a whole, but for Stroud personally, as he’s putting together a showcase for his next contract in the NFL after his rookie deal is up.
Questions about Stroud’s contract will loom after the loss, and the former NFL star LeSean McCoy dished his blunt thoughts on the situation. If he were running Houston’s front office, Stroud wouldn’t get his fifth-year option, based on the way he played in the playoffs.
“I’m not paying him $26 million. That was bad picks, high balls, getting tipped,” McCoy said after the game. “The second pick he rolled out. I’m thinking like, alright, there’s nobody open, there’s a defender coming—dirt the ball! Simple stuff you taught in high school! You’re trying to make plays, throwing picks?”
The Texans were getting dominated from the jump as their offense struggled to take care of the ball. In the first half, Stroud threw four interceptions, failing to get the Houston offense running, while their defense put together another solid showing, just as they did down the stretch of the season.
It was a rough day at the office for Stroud, and making long-term decisions based on one game isn’t a strategy the Texans are likely to roll with, but McCoy claims to have had doubts throughout the entire playoff run for the Texans.
“He looked the same way against the Steelers, it’s just that the Steelers’ defense is not as good as the Patriots, in my opinion,” McCoy added.
“I don’t know, man. If he had taken care of the ball today, I’m not saying he didn’t have a great day; they still might’ve had a chance to win this game, but he took this team totally out of the game! If my offense is playing bad, cool, it’s going to be a nail-biter. CJ Stroud played so bad he didn’t even give his team a chance to even come close to competing. You can’t win like that.”
The Patriots ended up putting the Texans away with a 28-16 victory. New England heads back to the AFC Championship stage for the first time in years, getting ready to visit the Denver Broncos.
As for the Texans, they have some important decisions to make. Stroud just wrapped up his third season as the franchise quarterback. In year one, he impressed with a 9-6 year, which included over 4,100 yards, 23 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. The sophomore season brought Stroud’s stock down slightly, as he threw for 3,727 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, amid a 10-7 season.
Before reaching the playoffs this year, Stroud crossed the 3,000-yard threshold once again and tossed for 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He slightly improved his completion percentage to 64 percent.
The postgame reaction from Stroud’s teammates and coach suggested that he has nothing but support surrounding him after a 212-yard, one-touchdown, four-interception run in New England. But the front office will ultimately make the decision on his contract.
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