One rocky season won’t deter Houston’s long view of CJ Stroud.
Texas owner Cal McNair told reporters Monday that he is “absolutely committed” to Stroud when asked about a contract extension for the 24-year-old quarterback.
“Well, as you know, we’ll leave that with Nick (Caserio) and that communication is behind the scenes,” McNair said Monday, via KPRC2 . “But yeah, we’re fully committed to CJ, I think you saw we extended… we exercised his fifth-year option. So we’ll see how that all plays out.”
Texas general manager Nick Caserio said last month it was a “no brainer” to exercise Stroud’s fifth-year option, which will keep the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year in Houston through the 2027 season. The $25.904 million salary Stroud will earn in 2027 is a bargain compared to 16 NFL quarterbacks making north of $30 million per season. It also helps maintain the pillars of a strong defense — Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter, who each received sizeable extensions this season.
Stroud seems to have regressed each season after his promising freshman campaign. He saw career lows in passing (3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns) in 2025, in part due to a four-game stretch he missed with a concussion, but his struggles continued late in the year despite Houston’s No. 1 defense leading the Texans to a postseason berth. The Texans’ D saved face once again in the playoffs after Stroud fumbled five times in a win at Pittsburgh, but there was no getting past the QB’s four stops in a loss to the eventual AFC champion Patriots.