After the 2024 NFL season, rumors started to circulate that the Houston Texans might trade starting QB C.J. Stroud due to a down year. Stroud ultimately recovered and led the Texans to the playoffs for a third straight year, but rumors of his impending departure remain.
For one longtime NFL writer, the notion of the Texans trading their franchise QB is so absurd that he’s willing to “walk naked down Kirby Drive at rush hour” if it happens.
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On Tuesday, John McClain of the Houston Chronicle challenged anyone who truly believes that Stroud might be traded to do the same if they have the guts.
“If CJ Stroud is traded I’ll walk naked down Kirby Drive at rush hour! Is anyone else willing to do it if he’s NOT traded? Didn’t think so!” McClain declared.
Some NFL fans pointed out that McClain has been proven wrong before. Back in 2021 he declared that he had a better chance of becoming the head coach of the Texans than the team trading then-starting QB Deshaun Watson.
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One year and two months later, Watson was gone.
Stroud’s Future
C.J. Stroud is in no similar danger of being traded though. While he has yet to match the highs of his 2023 rookie season, Stroud has proven to be a steady hand at quarterback each year.
Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) after the game against the New England Patriots in an AFC Divisional Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images© David Butler II-Imagn Images.
(© David Butler II-Imagn Images.)
In three seasons, Stroud is a very respectable 28-18 with a 63.8-percent completion rate, 62 touchdowns, 236.4 yards per game and just 25 interceptions.
More importantly, he’s reached the playoffs and won a playoff game in each of his first three seasons. Not even Tom Brady or Peyton Manning can make such a claim.
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It would truly take something on par with what Watson did to get himself kicked out of Houston for the Texans to part ways with Stroud.
And that means we’ll never have to see John McClain running naked through the busy streets of Houston.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Feb 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.