Cal McNair isn’t interested in the outside noise surrounding his franchise quarterback. The Houston Texans owner made that abundantly clear this week, offering a firm public endorsement of C.J. Stroud despite a 2025 campaign that left fans and analysts questioning the young signal-caller’s trajectory.
While the discourse in Houston has shifted from MVP chatter to playoff post-mortems, McNair is doubling down on the face of the franchise.
Texans Owner Cal McNair Backs Quarterback C.J. Stroud After Postseason Exit
In a recent conversation with the Houston Chronicle, McNair dismissed the idea that the organization is wavering on Stroud. The backing comes at a pivotal moment. Stroud followed up a stellar rookie debut with a 2024 season plagued by a career-high 12 interceptions, only to see his touchdown production dip to a career-low 19 scores in 2025.
For a team that boasted the NFL’s top-ranked defense this past season, the lack of offensive punch in January felt like a squandered opportunity.
McNair, however, sees the situation through a wider lens of organizational growth. He told the Chronicle that the team is “totally behind” Stroud, emphasizing that the quarterback has fully bought into the responsibilities that come with the role in Houston. It is a calculated move to lower the temperature in a city where the expectations have skyrocketed.
The disconnect between Stroud’s individual statistics and the team’s defensive dominance is the primary source of frustration for the fanbase. In 2024, Houston’s defense finished No. 6 in the league, providing a safety net that the offense often failed to utilize. That defensive unit took another leap in 2025, finishing as the best in football, yet the Texans once again found themselves heading home earlier than expected after a postseason meltdown.
McNair’s refusal to engage with the criticism isn’t just about loyalty. It’s about maintaining stability for a player who, despite recent struggles, remains the most talented passer the franchise has ever drafted. “I will let them do that,” McNair said regarding the critics, “and like I said, we’ll try to get better every year, top to bottom.”
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The reality for Stroud is that the grace period afforded to young quarterbacks in the NFL is shorter than ever. While McNair is preaching patience and incremental improvement, the roster is built to win right now. Having the No. 1 defense in the league is a luxury that rarely lasts more than a few seasons in the modern NFL due to the salary cap and coaching turnover.
Stroud’s 2025 season was a statistical enigma. He showed flashes of the elite ball placement and processing that defined his rookie year, but the red zone efficiency evaporated. Throwing only 19 touchdowns over a full season while supported by an elite defense and a competent run game suggests a regression in decision-making or a lack of trust in the scheme.
In 2023, he had a PFSN QB Impact metric grade of B- and was ranked fifth in the league. The frustrations are understandable, since he was graded a D+ in 2024 but moved back up to a C in 2025.
The quarterback’s defenders point to a rotating door of offensive line combinations and a lack of a true vertical threat as reasons for the dip in production. But in the NFL, the quarterback takes the credit and the blame.
Stroud hasn’t played up to the standard he set for himself, and he’ll be the first to admit it. The internal belief is that a full offseason of health and a few strategic draft additions will unlock the 2023 version of Stroud.
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Houston’s front office has been aggressive, and McNair’s comments suggest they aren’t about to pivot to a “Plan B” at the most important position on the field. The focus now shifts to the draft and free agency, where the Texans are expected to hunt for a primary perimeter weapon to stress opposing secondaries.
If Stroud can cut down on the turnovers that defined his 2024 season and find the end zone with more frequency than he did in 2025, the Texans remain the team to beat in the AFC South. For now, the owner has spoken.
The seat isn’t hot, but the expectations for 2026 couldn’t be higher. Stroud has the boardroom’s support; now he needs to repay that faith on the field.
