Troy Aikman called CJ Stroud out on Sunday for letting his past dictate his present.
The Houston Texans quarterback dragged his team down in their divisional round matchup against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Stroud went 20/47 and gave up four interceptions in the 28-16 loss that ended the Texans’ season.
Aikman did not hold back in his criticism of Stroud while in the booth for Sunday’s ESPN broadcast of the Texans-Patriots clash. The Dallas Cowboys legend claimed Stroud has been trying and failing to chase the immense success he enjoyed in his rookie season.
“C.J. Stroud has been chasing his rookie success for the last two years,” Aikman said. “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.”
Troy Aikman: "C.J. Stroud has been chasing his rookie success for the last two years. 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." 🏈🎙️ #NFL #NFLPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/nmAgXfxItQ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 18, 2026
Aikman also noted that the departure of former Texans coach Bobby Slowik, who served as the team’s offensive coordinator for Stroud’s first season, may have factored into his decline.
Stroud burst onto the NFL scene as a rookie. He threw for 4,108 yards with 23 touchdowns and 5 interceptions across 15 games, earning him the Offensive Rookie of the Year trophy and even some MVP votes.
Stroud’s numbers have dropped across the board since then. He threw for 3,041 yards with 19 touchdowns and 8 interceptions in 14 regular-season games in 2025. The Texans still finished with a 12-5 record and won their Wild Card game over the Pittsburgh Steelers this season. But Houston’s league-best defense deserves most of the credit for the team’s success this season.
After Sunday’s game, several fans revived the moment Stroud gave Caleb Williams some unsolicited advice during the latter’s rookie season. Perhaps Stroud needs to ask Williams for some tips, given how their respective 2025 seasons went in different directions.
