The Houston Texans’ quarterback C.J. Stroud delivered another memorable performance on Sunday when he led his team to a 39-37 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Stroud finished with 470 passing yards and five touchdowns while making some NFL history in the process.
Stroud’s 470 passing yards against the Bucs set a new single-game passing record for a rookie. The record was previously held by Indianapolis Colts’ Andrew Luck, who had 433 passing yards against the Miami Dolphins in Week 9 of the 2012 NFL season.
Additionally, only five rookie quarterbacks have managed to throw for five touchdowns in a single game before Stroud, while only Matthew Stafford is the only other signal-caller to have 400+ passing yards and five TDs in a game during his first year as a pro.
“It’s a blessing,” Stroud said after the game. “The humble me, I mean, I’m going to try to celebrate it tonight. After that, I’m on to Cincinnati. But it’s a blessing. I put in a lot of work throughout the week, and the guys know that. They see it.”
C.J. Stroud entered the 2023 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, being considered the best QB prospect in the class alongside Alabama’s Bryce Young. The Carolina Panthers traded up with the Chicago Bears to secure the No. 1 pick and select Young, leaving Stroud to be picked up by the Texans with the No. 3 pick.
Many believed that the Texans settled for Stroud, but it doesn’t look that way so far. Stroud has been the best rookie in the league, throwing for 2,270 yards, 14 touchdowns, and only one interception. He also helped the Texans to a 4-4 record and second place in the AFC South against predictions that they will be one of the worst teams in the league this year.
