Aireontae Ersery’s Sideline Pep Talk Helped Spark C.J. Stroud’s Second-Half Surge in Texans’ Wild Card Win
In a game where C.J. Stroud looked more human than usual, it wasn’t just a coach or a coordinator who helped steady the rookie quarterback - it was a fellow first-year player, offensive tackle Aireontae Ersery, whose words helped flip the switch.
Early in the third quarter of the Texans’ AFC Wild Card matchup against the Steelers, Stroud and the Houston offense were driving, holding a narrow one-point lead and threatening to extend it. They’d worked their way to the Pittsburgh 14-yard line, and despite red zone struggles throughout the regular season, there was a sense that momentum was finally tilting Houston’s way.
Then came the mistake. Stroud tried to squeeze a pass into a tight window to Xavier Hutchinson, and it was picked off - his third turnover of the game. Just like that, the Texans' drive stalled, and Stroud made the all-too-familiar walk back to the bench, visibly frustrated and searching for answers.
But this time, instead of just conferring with quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, Stroud was met by Ersery, who made his way over from the other end of the bench. The rookie lineman didn’t say much - just enough to lift his quarterback’s spirits and remind him that the team had his back.
“I just told him to keep dealing the ball, bro,” Ersery said after the game. “We [the offensive line] are going to protect you.
Just keeping his confidence up. I seen that look on his face and I just wanted to make sure he knew that his brothers had his back.”
Sometimes, that’s all it takes. Stroud settled in, protected the football the rest of the way, and went 5-for-9 for 100 yards down the stretch - not gaudy numbers, but efficient, composed, and exactly what Houston needed. The Texans would go on to win 30-6, punching their ticket to the AFC Divisional Round for the third straight year, where they’ll face the second-seeded Patriots in Foxborough.
The win was a statement, but it didn’t come without its bumps. Stroud had five fumbles in total - three on center-to-quarterback exchanges with Jake Andrews, and two more on quarterback hits. The Steelers recovered two of them, and when you add in the interception on the Hutchinson throw, it was easily Stroud’s sloppiest game of the season.
When asked whether weather conditions had anything to do with the issues, Stroud didn’t make excuses. “No, just got to get it fixed,” he said postgame.
Head coach DeMeco Ryans echoed that sentiment, acknowledging the need to clean up the turnovers if Houston wants to keep their postseason run alive. But Ryans also made it clear - the team still believes in their quarterback.
“Thought C.J. stepped up and made some big plays,” Ryans said. “He showed poise.”
That poise - even after three first-half turnovers and a shaky third-quarter interception - is what continues to separate Stroud from most young quarterbacks. He didn’t unravel.
He didn’t panic. He listened, recalibrated, and responded.
And his teammates noticed.
“C.J. is a dog,” said veteran offensive lineman Tytus Howard. “He won’t have a repeat performance of the last game when it comes to ball security.
We have belief in him, and every player on this team knows exactly who he is and what he stands for. We have no doubt that he can lead us throughout these playoffs.”
That kind of locker room confidence doesn’t come from a single game - it’s been building all season. But moments like these, when a young quarterback stumbles and then finds his footing mid-game, are what define playoff runs.
And sometimes, all it takes is a few words from a rookie lineman to help steer the ship back on course.