Quarterback CJ Stroud’s awful showing on Sunday didn’t just seal the Houston Texans’ playoff fate. It also sparked a grave warning from legendary Troy Aikman. As the New England Patriots beat Houston 28-16, the former quarterback openly questioned Stroud’s development and called for accountability. With the offense clearly falling apart, Aikman believes tough decisions are now unavoidable for the Texans.

With a little over one minute left on the clock, cameras panned to Houston players on the sideline. They seemed sulking under the weight of the confirmed loss. To make matters worse, Troy Aikman didn’t shy away from delivering scathing remarks about the offense from the broadcast booth, specifically targeting Stroud. 

“C.J. Stroud has been chasing his rookie success for the last two years,” he said during the ESPN broadcast. “He’s not been the same player. We’ve not seen the development from him. There’s a reason for that, and it has to be addressed.”

While Aikman’s words sting, Stroud’s numbers across his three campaigns support the argument. The 24-year-old took the league by storm in his rookie year, piling up 4,108 passing yards and 23 touchdowns with a completion rate of 63.9%. The massive production not only turned heads but also earned him the Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2023. However, he hasn’t been able to match his numbers over the last two years.

Aikman highlighted how DeMeco Ryans’ team released offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik after the 2024 season to revive Stroud’s form, but to no avail. Moreover, the ex-Cowboy doubled down on his criticism by shedding light on the player’s postseason performance. Against New England, Stroud was so out of sync that he allowed four costly interceptions. One of them was even converted into a touchdown by cornerback Marcus Jones.

Beyond blunders, Stroud went 20-of-47 for 212 yards and one score. Aikman pointed out how the QB had a similar collapse against the Pittsburgh Steelers, noting that he has now recorded seven turnovers across two playoff games. It included five interceptions and two lost fumbles. 

“You just can’t overcome that kind of quarterback play,” he said of Stroud. 

Meanwhile, Aikman believes Ryans and general manager Nick Caserio now face tough choices on the offensive side of the ball. His concerns are valid as the Texans’ ground game was almost absent, while the passing and receiving combined for just two scores. Still, CJ Stroud’s performance remains at the center of their offensive breakdown.

CJ Stroud sets painful records that echo Troy Aikman’s concerns

It seemed like the Patriots stepped onto the field with a winning mindset as they struck first with a touchdown early on. Since then, their body language has been all about exerting pressure on the Texans. Ryans’ team gained brief momentum by scoring a touchdown followed by a field goal. However, Stroud’s missed open throws and repeated turnovers in the first half alone allowed New England to gain a solid 21–10 lead by halftime.

Furthermore, the quarterbacks made history for the wrong reasons. His four-interception performance ranked 16th among such outings since 2000, per USA Today. The last quarterback to put up a similar showing was Justin Herbert during the Los Angeles Chargers’ 32–12 playoff loss to Houston in the 2024 wild-card round. Meanwhile, Stroud has also become the first NFL player to post five fumbles and interceptions in a single postseason run. After the final whistle, Stroud took accountability for the divisional loss.

“I let people down and that hurts,” he told reporters. “I take full responsibility.” 

Despite the brutal loss, the Texans’ head coach praised his QB and explained why he never benched him in the second half. 

Top Stories

Josh Allen’s Bills Coach to Quietly Retire as Sean McDermott Addresses ‘Tough End’ After Broncos Loss

Troy Aikman Allegedly Forced Mike McDaniel’s Firing as $6.35 Billion NFL Team Rejects Ousted Dolphins Coach

Concern Mounts as Texans’ Plane Forced to Remain Airborne After Tough Playoff Loss to Patriots

Cam Skattebo Sends Expletive-Laced Message on Giants’ John Harbaugh Announcement

Ben Johnson Breaks Silence on Controversial Play Call After Disappointing Statement on Bears Loss

“C.J.’s our guy,” Ryans told the press. “I believed that he could come back out in the second half and flip it. I believed that he could play better, and he did that in the second half. He did play better. We had some positive drives in the second half. I believed that he would do that and he did that.”

With DeMeco Ryans backing him publicly, it’s less likely that Troy Aikman’s words will prompt the team to take away the starting role from Stroud.