C.J. Stroud is “standing on business.”
The Houston Texans quarterback jokingly referenced a one-liner of content creator and comedian Druski on Sunday, Dec. 3 after stepping helmet-to-helmet against Denver Broncos LB Alex Singleton. But it’s safe to say the reference is fitting.
Since entering the NFL this season as QB1 for the Texans, Stroud has had a lot on his shoulders, both on and off the field.
If some of the amazing details of resilience and triumph through tremendous adversities have gone unnoticed, allow us to reintroduce C.J. Stroud.
After breaking the single-game rookie record with 470 passing yards and five touchdowns in the Texans’ 39-37 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 9, many see Stroud as Rookie of the Year.
Standing On Business
Since entering the NFL as the second overall pick in the first round by the Houston Texans, the two-time First-team All-Big Ten quarterback from Ohio State University walked hand-in-hand with controversy.
He came in only two seasons removed from Deshaun Watson’s polarizing departure from the Texans and under a first-time head coach in DeMeco Ryans. Oh yeah, and they both are Black. Although they are currently tied for fourth in their division with the Indianapolis Colts, his gutsy performances already have begun his legend as a professional.
However, Stroud has kept his composure off the field and excelled despite life-changing circumstances like his father, a former pastor, incarcerated for 38 years. A recipient of California’s three-strikes rule, the Stroud family has endured the trauma of losing their patriarch, Coleridge Bernard Stroud III, since C.J. was 13 years old.
His mother, Kimberly Stroud, raised him and his siblings as a single mother in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and after overcoming his initial anger toward his father, is now a prison reform advocate. He also began using platforms like postgame press conferences to highlight the issues behind the wall to bring more attention to the humanity of inmates.
Family And Community Man
“People slip up. People make mistakes. As I’m getting older, I’m realizing how tough it is to be a man — not only a man, but a Black man in our communities,” C.J. told The Columbus Dispatch in September 2022.
“I think I thrive now at this age, just understanding that doing the right thing is the right way and letting God lead your life is the best way. That’s what I learned from my father.”
He and his mother started the CJ Stroud Foundation, which has hosted events for single mothers and established itself as a force in the Houston community. His mother is also the president of the organization.
Stroud is showing that you can be larger than your family circumstances, and he has not shied away from shedding light on subjects that might not be sports entertainment friendly. Stroud’s brilliance on the field and his advocacy and leadership make him someone to watch and an example for young people.
