C.J. Stroud didn’t try to play it cool after the Texans’ 26-3 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Once Houston wrapped up its first victory of the 2026 season, the quarterback was asked about the team’s trade for Marvin Harrison Jr., and his answer was simple.
“Great guy, great player,” Stroud said of Harrison, according to Texans reporter Aaron Wilson.
That reunion now gives Houston a familiar pairing to watch again at the pro level. Stroud and Harrison were teammates at Ohio State, and the Texans’ latest move brings that college connection back into the same huddle. Houston confirmed the deal after beating Tennessee, acquiring Harrison from the Arizona Cardinals.
The trade sends a 2027 second-round pick and a sixth-round pick to Arizona. In return, Houston gets Harrison and a seventh-round selection.
For the Texans, the move adds another high-end receiving option to a group that already includes Nico Collins. Harrison entered the league as the fourth overall pick in the 2024 draft, but his production had fallen off this season. Through his first four games, he had five catches for 85 yards and a touchdown.
Houston is hoping the change of scenery gives Harrison a fresh start, while Stroud gets another target in the passing game. The two already know each other well from their Ohio State days, and that familiarity could help as they try to build something useful in the NFL. Turning that into consistent production, though, will take work.
The Texans also clearly need the boost. They started the year 0-4 before Sunday’s win, and Stroud helped steady the ship by throwing for 261 yards and a touchdown against Tennessee.
Now the spotlight shifts to what comes next for Stroud and Harrison. The reaction was positive. The results, Houston will hope, follow soon enough.
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With Montgomery unavailable, Houston will have to lean more heavily on its other running backs and the passing game to carry the load the rest of the way. The bigger question now is what this injury means beyond Sunday, because the team has not offered any detail yet on how serious it is or whether it could affect his availability in the coming weeks. [Read more 🡒]