One week after a defiant DeMeco Ryans refused to divulge specifics regarding C.J. Stroud's shoulder health, the Houston Texans quarterback delivered much-needed good news.
The quarterback told reporters Tuesday he's "fine," after returning to throwing in practice this week, adding he believed the buzz surrounding his right shoulder could be blamed on a lack of offseason news.
"I think y'all don't have much to talk about," Stroud said. "So everything is blown up in the offseason. I'm fine, man. I'm really OK."
Stroud added: "I felt great. I'm very grateful to be back out on the field. A little rusty, made some throws, missed some throws. Just very grateful to be out there with the guys."
Stroud sat out organized team activities earlier this spring due to what Ryans described on June 3 as "general soreness" in his shoulder, prompting reporters to ask if surgery was a possibility for Stroud. When Ryans refused to elaborate or answer the question directly, concern started to build.
A smiling Stroud explained on Tuesday that his absence from throwing portions was to take care of his body after pushing himself during the offseason.
"I took this offseason very serious," Stroud said. "Just working hard, trying to get my body right. I was here pretty early with our strength guys. I've been working really hard on getting my body right, losing body fat. Trying to be faster, stronger.
"It went really well. But there's always risk and reward. There was always risk to working hard. It was a great offseason. I think I got that done. But I wouldn't say that was the reason why, a lot of everything."
Ryans explained on Tuesday his decision to sit Stroud came down to "doing what's best for C.J."
"C.J.'s a competitor," Ryans said. "Last week, C.J. was adamant about going out and practicing. It just showed the type of person C.J. is. For me, as the head coach, it's important for me to make sure that we're protecting him. ... Not really worried about the outside opinions of other people. Nobody knows the information about our players more than me. I'm going to make sure I always do what's in the best interest of our players, first and foremost, with their health and wellness. So that's why the decision was made with C.J. today and he looked pretty fine."
This doesn't mean Stroud is entirely out of the woods; anytime a quarterback misses time due to shoulder soreness or fatigue, it's worth monitoring. But it's a very encouraging development for the Texans, who certainly don't need quarterback worries hanging over them as they enter the 2025 season.
