Jan. 8, 2026, 6:22 p.m. CT
Here’s everything Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud said ahead of Monday’s wild-card round matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers, including his thoughts on facing T.J. Watt and more.
Question: On if the playoff experience he’s gained helps him as he prepares for this postseason
C.J. Stroud: “I’m excited. The experience that I’ve been able to gain in the last two years has been very important and helpful. But this is a new year, and I never played on the road in a Wild Card game, so there’s a new experience in that. But I have a good idea of how some of these games go and that’s… You don’t have an idea. It can go any way, and this is a good team we’re playing against. So, I’m trying to be prepared in my preparation as much as I can.”
Q: On if he gets a little more excited when you’re playing in these games at this time of year
Stroud: “Yes and no. I think when the ball is snapped, you’re just locked in. But I think the added extra cameras, extra eyes and stuff, you know, there’s a little more eyes on you. I’m excited and I’ve played in some big games in my career and… Every next one is a bigger one. I just want to be able to handle this moment as best as I can and be present and enjoy it.”
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Q: On if playoff football is different or if it feels different
Stroud: “No, I wouldn’t say it feels different. I think the margins are smaller. I think success is winning if you can win. I think that’s the biggest thing is to find a way to win.”
Q: On K Ka’imi Fairbairn
Stroud: “Yeah, I have a lot of faith in Ka’imi. I think he’s done a great job for us this year.”
Q: On how the offensive line has performed this year
Stroud: “I think they’re doing amazing. I think a lot of guys have been in there. I think schematically, too, me trying to get the ball out as fast as possible and taking one if one is there. I thought we’ve all grown from Tytus [Howard] all the way down to me. I think the leadership in that room has grown. I think Cole [Popovich] has done an amazing job. He’s hard on those guys. He yells, he cusses, he does everything that you think an offensive line coach should do. Those guys, they’re, ‘Yes, sir,’ and ‘No, sir.’ They also don’t back down when a challenge is presented. They’re the heartbeat of our team. We go as far as they go.”
Q: On building chemistry with other pass catchers, outside of WR Nico Collins, throughout the season
Stroud: “Yeah, it’s helpful. I think our young guys have gotten a lot of experience. There’s still a lot of things they need to learn. They have to learn fast now. I’m excited for that. But I think every year I’ve had great receivers. Now we’re just a little healthier, which is dope. So, I’m excited. I think this will be a great challenge for us. They’re really good in the back end and do a great job in different coverages. We got to be able to identify what we’re seeing and all be on the same page and go from there.”
Q: On what he’s seen from the Pittsburgh Steelers pass rush
Stroud: “They [the Pittsburgh Steelers] rush together. They’re going to push the pocket and burn the edge. I think they do a great job even with their effort. They’re getting chips and things like that the whole game and they’re still going very hard. I have a lot of respect for [Alex] Highsmith and [T.J.] Watt and their interior guys. I think their whole defensive line is the heartbeat of their team. Then you’ve got Patrick Queen, who’s a dog and been a great player in this league for a long time. Then Jalen [Ramsey], leading the guys in the back end. I think, overall, they’ve done a really good job. They make it hard and they play really hard. It’s going to be a challenge. Up front, I respect them to a high standard and how Mike [Tomlin] coaches those guys as well.”
Q: On how the game changes from the regular season to the playoffs
Stroud: “I wouldn’t say it changes. The margin of the execution is just smaller. The guys are on a little more. I won’t change my preparation. I’ll do the same things that I’ve always done. Maybe a little more here and a little less there. But whatever I need to do to be prepared. No special sauce, no special ingredient, still football. I just got to go and execute at a high level.”
Q: On Offensive Coordinator Nick Caley and what stands out about him
Stroud: “I think his ability to block out the noise and continue to go forward. I think everybody in this day, and age wants a microwave. They want to throw something in the microwave, let it heat up fast and be a new product. That’s none of us. Football is an oven type of sport or whatever you use, a Crock-Pot, whatever any of y’all use. I think this team, we try to do our best to block out the noise and stay in our brotherhood and lean on one another. I thought he’s done a great job of leaning on us, asking us what we like, even if it didn’t work, like not running away from asking guys what they like and putting guys in a position to do what we need to do best. We’re still working. We still got a ways to go. But I’m just proud of that guy. I think he’s done a heck of a job of calling it, of being honest and… One thing I respect about ‘Cales’ is he doesn’t point fingers. If he does, it’s in the right way. It’s not like blame game. It’s like, ‘Hey, you can be better here because I know you can.’ He’s uplifting and I have a lot of love for that guy. He’s done a heck of a job for us this year.”
On if his willingness to use his legs increases in playoff games
“I don’t know. I just try to play as fast as I can. I think every game I try to use my legs if I need to. But sometimes it doesn’t present. I’ve been getting spied lately. So, that’s kind of cool. I haven’t gotten spied in my career probably in a long time. But whatever the play presents. Whatever way you’ve got to get the job done, get it done.”
Q: On if there was any challenge of when to use his legs after the concussion
Stroud: “No, I don’t live in fear, at least I try not to. I think this game, if you think about getting hurt, you think about something happening, is when it usually happens. I try my best to play fast and protect myself as well, though.”
Q: On if he recalls watching Pittsburgh Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers play and what it means to face him in the playoffs
Stroud: “I’m a big fan of Aaron. I love what he does. He’s been a heck of a player. I think he’s a top-three quarterback to ever touch a football. He’s done some really cool things in the sport. His mechanics are through the roof. His ability to use his pronation on his wrist and how he flicks the ball is just dope. I’m a big fan of his. This will be, I think, my second time facing him. I’m a big fan of his. I’m not going to be rooting for him on Monday night, but I think he’s a heck of a player and I have a lot of respect for him. He’s done it for a long time and is even doing it at a high level at his age now in year 21 or whatever it is for him. A lot of respect for him.”
Q: On WR Jayden Higgins
Stroud: “Higgins has grown a lot. I think he’s somebody who has killed people with extra movement and throwing his head and doing all these different releases and stuff. But I think I told him he’s so big, fast and strong, the quicker you get open, the better. Especially for me, you’re not really running around against defensive backs, you’re running routes against the defensive line. I think it’s somewhere he’s grown in a lot of areas. I think he’s grown in the run game, wanting to go block. I think all that stuff helps him. But he’s done a tremendous job for us and he’s going to be a heck of a player in this league for a long time.”
Q: On his mindset going into the playoffs this year as opposed to the first two seasons
Stroud: “Win. Try to win.”
Q: On how the team can take the adversity they faced in the regular season and carry it over to the playoffs
Stroud: “I think we have a lot of experience in high-pressure moments, high-pressure games. It’ll be an opportunity for us to do it again. I think it’s a heck of an opportunity to play in a legendary stadium against a legendary coach, a legendary team. This is going to be a great challenge. We’ve got to be ready. It’s going to be cold and it’s going to be loud and it’s going to be a lot of elements that are not for us but are against us. But we’ve been in this before. We’ve played plenty of cold games, plenty of loud games, been in silent operations. A lot of experience in a lot of different ways. I think that will pay off when we go up there on Monday night.”