For Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, his offseason was spent honing his craft and improving his body. That proved to be quite an impactful rookie year, as Stroud finished by winning both Offensive Rookie of the Year and making the Pro Bowl. Today, he is committed to extending that success and addressing the gaps where he can do better.
In 2023, Stroud showed huge growth in his game, taking care of the ball and resulting in three touchdowns and zero interceptions. His sophomore season in the league has been an uphill battle. In 2024, he had the most pressure of any QB as he was sacked 52 times, second-most in the NFL. His pressure rate jumped up to 38.6% on his dropbacks, resulting in a tough year. Even with those struggles, Stroud still managed to rank 16th in scramble rushing yards. This accomplishment further underscores his historic, stellar escape-ability under pressure when it was needed most.
Stroud’s improvement can partly be attributed to his scrupulous offseason training, which involved additional practice with assistant strength and conditioning coach Clint Martin. He talked about addressing his physicality as a point of emphasis for the 2024 season.
“I’ve been working really hard on getting my body right — losing body fat, trying to be faster, stronger,” – C.J. Stroud
This dedication has led to a series of personal bests in every metric, further inspiring him to become a better all-around player. Stroud’s accuracy percentage on scramble drills went up by a whopping 66 percent. It jumped from 32% during his rookie season to 49.1%, highlighting his increasing capacity to create plays under duress.
The offseason wasn’t without its setbacks. Stroud dealt with persistent soreness in his throwing shoulder that caused him to sit out practices this spring. Though this was a grand adjustment, he stayed active in team huddles and practices.
“Being out here, [Stroud’s] involved in all the communication. He’s tapped in, he’s into it. I’ve been very pleased when he’s out here,” – Nick Caley
Stroud’s brilliant rookie season included 4,108 passing yards and 23 passing touchdowns. His stock fell in 2024 as he threw 12 interceptions, significantly dropping on draft boards. This was an alarming spike from his last full season, where he kept a much more palatable interception rate.
The most well-known example of Stroud’s scramble abilities came during his Week 11 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. In so doing, he maxed out at 19.7 mph on his run to cover 20 yards. He had 99 dropbacks that turned into scrambles, second most in the NFL on such plays. This serves to showcase his remarkable flexibility and agility.
“There’s always a risk to working hard, so it was a great offseason. I think I got that done,” – C.J. Stroud
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