C.J. Stroud’s Playoff Struggles Spark Questions About Texans’ Offensive Future
The Houston Texans' playoff run came to an abrupt halt with a 28-16 loss to the New England Patriots, and for quarterback C.J. Stroud, it was a postseason to forget. The second-year signal-caller, who once looked like the future face of the franchise, now finds himself at the center of a growing conversation about where things went wrong-and where the Texans go from here.
Stroud’s performance in back-to-back playoff games has raised eyebrows across the league, including from some of the game’s most respected voices. Hall of Fame quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Kurt Warner both weighed in this week, and their critiques weren’t exactly subtle.
Warner, who called Houston’s wild-card win over the Steelers, didn’t hold back when discussing Stroud’s decision-making under pressure.
“He made a bad play worse, time and time again,” Warner said during an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show. He pointed to multiple examples where Stroud’s instincts betrayed him-plays where the smart move was to live for the next down, but instead turned into momentum-killing mistakes.
One of those moments came on a flea-flicker against Pittsburgh. With defenders crashing in, Stroud tried to heave a deep shot downfield instead of eating the play.
He was hit as he threw, lost the ball, and the Steelers pounced on the fumble. Then came the divisional-round loss to New England, where Stroud threw four first-half interceptions, including a costly pick-six on a naked bootleg where he failed to sense the pressure closing in.
These aren’t just rookie mistakes anymore. They’re becoming patterns.
Stroud’s stat line from the Steelers game-two lost fumbles and an interception-was overshadowed by the Texans’ dominant 30-6 win. But against a Patriots defense that came prepared and aggressive, those same tendencies proved far more damaging.
Despite the postseason woes, head coach DeMeco Ryans has continued to back his quarterback publicly. But general manager Nick Caserio added a bit of intrigue when he declined to confirm whether the team plans to exercise the fifth-year option on Stroud’s rookie deal. That decision doesn’t need to be made immediately, but the hesitation is enough to raise some eyebrows.
Still, there’s no indication that Houston is shopping Stroud or preparing to move on. According to reports, the Texans haven’t suggested that Stroud will be available this offseason.
But the longer-term picture? That’s where things get murky.
Warner, who was a big believer in Stroud after his rookie season, admitted he’s been disappointed by the quarterback’s trajectory. “When he was a rookie, I thought he played like a top-five quarterback in the league,” Warner said.
“He was that good. I was excited-my gosh, this guy could be one of those really special guys.
But in the last two years, I feel like he’s really regressed. It’s been frustrating to watch.”
That word-frustrating-sums up a lot of what Texans fans are probably feeling right now. Stroud flashed elite-level poise and accuracy early in his career, showing the kind of command that had Houston dreaming big. But the recent stretch has been filled with head-scratching decisions, turnovers under pressure, and missed opportunities in the biggest moments.
The Texans don’t need to make a franchise-altering decision just yet. They still have time to evaluate, to coach, and to see how Stroud responds. But after a pair of postseason performances that raised more questions than answers, the pressure is mounting.
Caserio and Ryans have built a promising young roster. The defense has taken strides, and the offensive weapons are there. But if the quarterback position remains inconsistent, it could cap just how far this team can go.
For now, Stroud remains the guy in Houston. But if the struggles continue into next season, the conversation around his future won’t just be coming from the outside-it’ll be happening inside the building, too.