The Houston Texans saw their season end on Sunday, losing in the divisional playoffs to the New England Patriots. One player who deserves much of the blame for this loss is quarterback C.J. Stroud. That game concluded Stroud’s third NFL season, making him eligible for a long-term extension.
What Did Texans HC DeMeco Ryans Say About C.J. Stroud’s Contract?
Despite a successful season, it was the third-straight year the Texans have lost in the divisional round. Stroud wasn’t the only reason, but he played poorly, throwing 4 interceptions and consistently giving the Patriots short fields to work with.
Despite the Texans having one of, if not the, best defense in the NFL, Stroud put them behind the eight ball all game long.
Stroud was awful in the playoffs despite the Texans winning their wild-card game over the Pittsburgh Steelers. He threw 1 interception and lost 2 fumbles in their first-round win. Then came back with the aforementioned four-interception game in the divisional round. That caliber of QB will never be good enough to get a team to a conference championship game or Super Bowl.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans has been asked about the possibility of Stroud getting a long-term extension this offseason. According to Underdog NFL, Ryans said, “I’m not getting into that right now.”
HC DeMeco Ryans when asked about a potential long-term extension for CJ Stroud:
“I’m not getting into that right now.” pic.twitter.com/981BLO7BQY
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) January 19, 2026
That is not a ringing endorsement for the quarterback, and he will likely enter his fourth season still on his rookie contract. Stroud had a great rookie season, but has clearly declined over the past two seasons, and this game may have been the worst of his career.
Next season will be massive for Stroud and the Texans. They need to see him return to his rookie-season form, or they may have to consider finding a new signal-caller. The Texans have a championship-level defense, but their QB play has let them down in back-to-back seasons.
Texans Have a Tough Decision to Make
The problem for Houston is that it is difficult to move on from a quarterback selected second overall. He was expected to be the face of the franchise, but things have gone awry rather quickly. In Stroud’s defense, he was missing his top receiver in the recent playoff game, but that is no excuse for throwing four interceptions.
According to PFSN, Stroud ranked 19th in QB Impact Rating this season. His 76.2 rating was right between Jaxson Dart and Caleb Williams. The Texans expect much more from Stroud, and his upcoming fourth season will tell us everything we need to know about his long-term future in Houston.
