Jan. 19, 2026, 7:00 p.m. CT
Here’s everything Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud said in his final press conference of the regular season, including a look back at the game in Foxborough, thoughts on Tank Dell’s recovery and more.
Question: On his takeaways from the Divisional Round game and this season, and where he wants to improve
C.J.Stroud: “It doesn’t just take from yesterday, I think the whole year there was things that I could have done a lot better, things I got better in, so I don’t just look at all the negative, but that’s what stands out. I just got to take some steps in some ways, and I think I’ll be able to do that because a lot of things that I’ve noticed from this season was some uncharacteristic things that I really haven’t done in my career. So, I just want to learn from that and I’m still growing in this league, [I’m] still a player that has a lot to learn from, a lot to look forward to in my career, so I’m excited to do that. But I’m going to take my best foot forward and move on and learn from it.”
Q: On his approach to the process of this offseason
Stroud: “I think first, I’m going to reflect and just look at the year and see where I can get better, things that I improved on, how I can get those things better as well. Then from there I’m going to take some time away, be able to spend some time with my family and some personal things, and then, from there get back to work and that’ll be probably pretty soon. Back to getting in shape, lifting, getting strong and having a great offseason like I did last year and just putting my best foot forward and working on mechanics and all those types of things.”
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Q: On what it means to have the support of his coaches and teammates
Stroud: “It means the world. I really appreciate that. It’s not taken lightly. We always tell each other we’re in it together. That’s something that DeMeco, the McNair [family], Nick [Caserio], they’ve all built that foundation. It’s like, we’re not just in it when it’s good, but also when it’s bad. So, I appreciate them for always having my back and I’ll always have theirs, and it’s really appreciative on my side.”
Q: On how he handles public criticism as an individual
Stroud: “For me, I always fall back on my faith. First and foremost, before I was anything, I’ve been a son of the most high God my whole life and that’s never going to change. My salvation is paid for, so when I look at that, that’s the foundation of my life. Everything other than that is just bonuses. I have a lot to be grateful for. I got a great career, I’m 24, living out my dreams, I’m doing something at a high level for three years now, somewhere I didn’t think I would be when I was a kid and the Lord has blessed me in that. I got family that loves me, I got friends, teammates and loved ones and supporters, fans. So, I look at the grand scheme of my life on the bigger scale of things, I’m grateful. It doesn’t just come down to one game. Even though it sucks and I’m taking full accountability on my part and this season and the ways we didn’t execute on offense. But when I look at everything, people [are] going to say what they are going to say and I know who I am, I know what type of player I am, I don’t know what I’m going to do, it’s just things in life are going to happen. It’s all about how I respond and I’m going to respond with my chest out and my chin up and take my best foot forward and have fun and have joy while doing it. I’m going to put a smile on my face. I woke up this morning, the sun was bright, of course, it wasn’t easy but there’s beauty. I think there’s beauty in ashes. The Lord can do that and there’s beauty in long suffering and in this suffering time that I’ll go through, for whatever it is, I’m going to take full accountability and full ownership. I think, in that, I’ll learn from it and then it’ll be a lesson, not a loss.”
Q: On areas he thought were uncharacteristic of him and what areas he did grow in this season
Stroud: “I think the turnovers, I haven’t really been prone to turnovers in my career, especially the timely turnovers where, as I told y’all before, I’ve been on some great teams my whole career where a lot of them were offense-driven. Playing for [Ohio State Head] Coach [Ryan] Day, where we’re taking shots and all these and then being on this team where we’re more full everywhere. It’s offense, defense and special teams, but defense is making a bunch of plays. So, this year was a step for me where I didn’t have to be Superman all the time and I’m still growing in that. I appreciate my teammates for taking a lot of pressure off of my plate but, also, they do know that I can make those plays. So, I’m appreciative of that, of them having that perspective. I feel like I’ve grown in that way of taking what’s there in ways where I would have taken a shot there or just take care of the ball, some other ways. But I just seen some growth in my footwork in the pocket, trusting my guys, staying in the pocket, not just running around, but staying firm. I think I made a step in that area as well. But teams are always improving and I’ll do that.”
Q: On WR Tank Dell
Stroud: “Tank is a brother of mine, somebody who was like blood to me. To see what he’s gone through the last two years has been heartbreaking and he’s been through a lot. But I know he’s grown a lot as a person and as a young man, especially as a man of God. So, I’m proud of him. The smile he continues to have on his face is contagious. I think for him too, being here every day putting in the work and putting his best foot forward in some situations that were out of his control, I think is amazing to see him do that. So, I’m super proud of him and I can’t wait to get him on the field. You all know the connection we have and I know he’s getting his No. 1 back, so he’s happy about that. I’m happy for him to get Uno back. So, we’re going to be coming back trim and I can’t wait to get my brother back on the field. I think our connection, hopefully, our chemistry picks right back up where we left off.”
Q: On how much this postseason’s turnovers were mental errors versus physical errors
Stroud: “I feel like I’m comfortable. There’s plays where things happen, where you don’t necessarily… Your body just reacts. It’s like instincts. But I feel like those things happen. I came back out in the second half [of the Divisional Round game against the New England Patriots] and I thought I played well. I thought I moved the ball, thought we did better in that first drive and then didn’t punch it in, which sucks. But I think once I flushed it and let it go, because that stuff does happen, you do unintentionally or intentionally… Things do affect you. But I think I responded in the best way I could have and I stand firm in that and I don’t ever try to move too fast or too slow. I try to be where my feet are. So, I thought I did a decent job of that. But I look at my career, [and] I’ve had that a million times, and it’s going to get blown up because it was a Divisional [Round] game. Rightfully so. It’s the biggest, one of the biggest games of my career, and I didn’t have the best day. But I could look back at other games in my career where I did show up. I know that I had more of those than I had yesterday. So, I’m going to look forward to the next opportunity I get.”
Q: On if he feels the offense can grow under Offensive Coordinator Nick Caley
Stroud: “Yeah, definitely. I love ‘Cales’. I think there’s growth in our relationship, there’s growth in his ability to call plays, growth and DeMeco trusted him. Whatever our coaches decide, I love ‘Cales’ and I’m rocking with him however long he’s going to be here.”
Q: On how much the loss in the Divisional Round will fuel his offseason preparation
Stroud: “I wouldn’t say it’ll make me have a different mindset, but it’ll just make my mindset I do have even more tenacious and focused and my vision to be clear. My dad used to always tell me, growing up, ‘Bad things happen in sports,’ whatever it was, injury or whatever. He’d always say it just adds fuel to the fire. So, I’m going to take that mindset of whatever is going to happen in this offseason or what people are saying, whatever. It just adds fuel to the fire. Makes the story a little sweeter and I’m excited to see where my career goes and my play. I know this isn’t the end of C.J. Stroud. This isn’t the end of my career. Like I said, the sun came up this morning. I got a lot more ball left to play and I’m excited to do that. So, I’m just adding fuel to the fire. Just continue to be motivated and this isn’t going to be the last time people are going to count me out or count me in. So, this is all about how God views me, how my teammates, my family, my friends, and how I view myself. I’m going to continue to do that in a positive way.”
Q: On where the team can take steps to get where they want to go
Stroud: “I think the small things, the communication things like getting out the huddle. When the game gets hard, making it more simple. I think doing the ordinary things time and time [again], over and over again because that’s what these games come down to. Being in the playoffs, in six games and winning the three out of the six is like, those three games we did the ordinary better, time-in, time-out, because things are going to happen. Turnovers are going to happen. They’re going to make plays. We’re going to make plays. But it’s all about getting back to the ordinary, getting back to what we’re great at. I think that’s something that we can take a step in is just making sure we’re doing the ordinary things over and over and over again, not being bored by that.”
Q: On being eligible for a contract extension this offseason
Stroud: “It’s not in my control. I did what I did on the field the last three years and I thought I started off my career in a very great way. I’m 24, I got a lot of ball left ahead of me. I think I look back, I look at my career and I’m doing a lot of things that, early in my career, a lot of people haven’t done in a long time. So, I’m grateful for that. I know it’s not just me. It’s my teammates. It’s my coaches. It’s the organization. But whatever God has for me, I don’t think whatever open door He has, no man can close. Whatever closed door He has, no man can open. So, I’m a firm believer in that and I’m going to just rock with that. But my job is done now in that light. I can only move forward. But I want to be here as long as I can. I love the city of Houston. I’m crushed, and I don’t want to be emotional, but just how hopeful we were to go further. For it to be on my plate, for me not to step up, it really hurts me. I wish it didn’t go that way. But my intent was never that. My intent is always to go out and ball and play as best as I can and it didn’t happen. But I know that I can do that. So, I hope this city and this organization and my teammates, and I know my teammates will, but I hope everybody gives me a shot to do it again.”
Q: On what a full offseason will help the rookies grow
Stroud: “I look at my rookie year and not having an offseason, getting to everything. I think the best thing they can do is, and I told them this, get away. Get away for a month or however long they feel is necessary and then get back to work. But I think that ability to get away will allow them to be able to refocus when they do come back. I think all the experiences my rookie year, going to the Divisional Round, I learned a lot. I think for them to be able to do the same things, they’re going to learn a lot and they’re going to grow and they’re going to continue to get better and they’re going to have areas that they need to get better in even this next year. I’m excited to take another step with them. I’m just really, really proud of those guys for what they did this year.”
Q: On what he would title this chapter of his career
Stroud: “That’s a great question. I couldn’t tell you. I don’t know. I can’t come up with a chapter name, but all I know is I’m a firm believer, and God doesn’t waste anything. The Bible says in Romans 8:28, ‘All things work together for good for those who love God, who are called to His purpose.’ I know I’m called to His purpose. I know I have a calling on my life and I’m going to stand firm in that and I know that this is going to work out good. The pain, God’s not going to waste. The suffering, God’s not going to waste. The interceptions, God’s not going to waste. I’m also not going to waste it, and I’m going to put in the work to get those things figured out and get better. On top of that, I have a lot of positive things going on in my career as well, so I’m not going to focus on the negative. I’m a pretty positive person. I’m going to keep a smile on my face, be joyful, be happy, and put my best foot forward. But I don’t really have a chapter, but I would say Romans 8:28, ‘All things work together.’ All, not some, all.”
Q: On his conversation with DE Will Anderson Jr. after the Divisional Round loss against the New England Patriots
Stroud: “Will’s my brother. We came in together, been through everything together in our NFL careers and he’s somebody who I have a deep love for, somebody that I care about. I care about his family. He cares about mine. Having that moment in the locker room yesterday, we didn’t really talk about anything specific. We just talked to his brothers like we always do and it wasn’t just him [DE Will Anderson Jr.] pointing to me. He shared some things with me that I didn’t even know, and I’m really grateful that we’ve had each other to lean on in some areas, especially in our faith. Some areas where we’re still very young in our faith and still newborn Christians, and we’re still trying to figure this out. Not perfect in any ways, but we’re both trying our best to be lights and shining bright for the Lord, for His glory, and also for each other. I think we’ve been able to lean on each other in that, and so I’m just grateful that I have somebody in the same notoriety, the same fame, the same whatever you want to say. We have a lot of similarities in the status that we have, and we also have a lot of similarities in the faith that we walk by in the backgrounds as well. So, to be able to have somebody to compare that to and to have somebody to be able to walk through that with, I’m just grateful to God that I have a brother like that.”
Q: On what can be fixed on the offensive side of the ball
Stroud: “There are a lot of things that can be fixed. I think that’s an area where we tried our best. I think when you have injuries, you have different things, and then you have a new system, you’re still trying to find your identity throughout the year. So, what we were running in the playoffs wasn’t what we were running in Week 1. It’s a whole different offense because it just changes. But hopefully around that Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8 period, you start to find that. I think we did that. But I think those things need to be fixed, and they’ll be addressed. It’s not just on ‘Cales’ so I want to nip that in the bud right now. It’s on me as well. It’s on everybody. It’s not just me and him . It’s everybody. But it starts with me, and then it goes to him. It starts with everybody. So, it starts with us, too. I’m not going to put it on him. I’ll raise my hand and say me. So, those things will be fixed and we’ll be able to be better from that.”