The Houston Texans had a solid 2025 campaign as their 12-5 record secured a wild-card spot in the playoffs. While C.J. Stroud hasn’t returned to the peaks of his rookie campaign, he put together a respectable performance for the Texans in 2025 with his 3,041 passing yards and 19 passing TDs.
However, the Texans’ season ended on a sour note after failing to put up a decent fight against the New England Patriots in the divisional round of the playoffs. While the 28-16 final score isn’t a total blowout, Stroud had a horrible time.
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Stroud threw for 212 yards in the loss, but he only converted one passing touchdown. He also allowed the Patriots defense to intercept his passes four times and sack him three times. His quarterback rating was a dismal 28.
New England Patriots defensive lineman Khyiris Tonga (95) reacts after a sack in the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans.
As the NFL is well into the offseason, Stroud took the opportunity to look into his season and mulled his experience in a recent public appearance.
C.J. Stroud Emphasizes the Importance of Suffering in Offseason Speech
Stroud made an appearance at The Annual Global Humanitarian Awards, where the C.J. Stroud Foundation was receiving an honor.
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He took the opportunity to talk about the importance of suffering in his organization’s work and his NFL career, as shared in a video posted on X.
“I think about suffering not only just it being something that the Lord Jesus preached about,” Stroud shared to the crowd. “I think suffering is beautiful. Suffering, I believe, is the reason we’re sitting here today, the reason why we have the heart we do.”
He then related his statements to his struggles during his final game against the Pats.
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“Of course, my last game didn’t go the way I wanted it to. I’m OK with suffering in front of people, because I know somebody’s going to see how I respond. We all have bad days … but my response needs to be in humility, in joy, gratitude, because my savior was on the cross for me,” he said to a round of applause.
He ended his speech by thanking Houston fans for how they made me feel at home.
“I’m so grateful to be in Houston. This city has welcomed me with open arms,” he said.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Feb 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.