With snow drifting down around him and an abysmal stat line commanding the narrative, C.J. Stroud’s season concluded in calamitous fashion.
In a Divisional Round disaster, Stroud threw four interceptions and his Houston Texans lost to the New England Patriots, 28-16.
Five weeks later, decked out in a tuxedo rather than a uniform, Stroud spoke of being "grateful for the suffering" while on stage Sunday at the Global Humanitarian Awards in Houston during an impromptu speech.
Delivering an overall message about faith and perseverance through the struggles, Stroud hit on his travails during the postseason defeat.
"Of course, my last game didn’t go the way I wanted it to," said Stroud, sporting his new tight-cropped haircut, via Fox26 Houston. "Of course, I wish I had plays back, but I’m OK with suffering in front of people, because I know somebody’s going to see how I respond. We’re all going to go through bad days, we’re all gonna go through bad moments. I’m going to have bad plays, I’m going to have bad games, but my response needs to be in humility, in joy, gratitude, because I know my savior was on the cross for me."
For a third straight year, Stroud and Houston fell in the Divisional Round, with the Texans remaining the only club to have never advanced to a conference championship game. Stroud's four picks were the most of any game of his career with his dismal 28.0 passer rating standing as his worst.
In the days and weeks since the Foxborough flop, Stroud has received support and backing from teammates such as Nico Collins and Dalton Schultz.
Some trade rumors have been floated, but there's been no reporting to merit them.
Stroud not only made it clear Sunday that he's looking to respond from his suffering, but he's also supremely happy being in Houston, which took him with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
“I’m so grateful to be in Houston," he said. "This city has welcomed my family with open arms.”
Stroud's four-INT ending to the 2025 season will be the lasting image of him until he retakes the field. He believes those trials will make him a better version of himself next time around.
"I'm just grateful for the suffering," Stroud said. "Not only the suffering that people don't see, but also the suffering that people also do [see]."
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