Houston Texans rookie quarterback is on pace for the most prolific rookie season of any quarterback in NFL history and first season and is even in the MVP conversation in just his first season in the league. He certainly hasn’t looked like a rookie on the field, and he doesn’t sound like a rookie when asked about all the attention he’s been receiving, either.
During his press conference this week, C.J. Stroud was asked about all the praise and accolades he’s received, and he had quite a mature response, praising his teammates and making it clear that he’s not satisfied with what he’s accomplished just yet.
“It’s cool to have people recognize some of the things that I’ve done or — as a team, we’ve done. I don’t think it’s just me, but it’s really cool to see,” Stroud said in his Wednesday press conference. “Especially the vets who will reach out or say something on Twitter, and I have people who text me stuff [and] things like that, so I really appreciate that. It doesn’t go unnoticed.
“But still, at the same time, I just want more. I want to do better. I want to be as complete as I can. This game is a process, and I know every week I have to bring it. And I know I’m not being treated as a rookie anymore, so people are bringing their ‘A-game’ because they want to knock me off or whatever they think. For me, I just really want to keep getting better and better and keep that chip on my shoulder and just keep grinding.”
As for the MVP chatter, Stroud had another mature response, making it clear that he realized people are fickle in this league when it comes to praise.
“It’s been cool to be able to be in the [MVP] talk, but just like they love me this week, they’ll hate me the next,” Stroud said. “So, I don’t try to look at that stuff. I try to stay even-keeled and just stay on the straight and narrow, and just work really hard and make my teammates around me better.”
It’s clear that Stroud knows how to handle himself both on the field and during press conferences. He plays and sounds like a seasoned veteran.
