CJ Stroud had a tough childhood before finding his golden ticket to the NFL. Throughout college, Stroud showcased some brilliant prowess and athletic ability on the field. He was fast for a QB, along with impressive aim and a great throwing arm. So, no one was surprised when he went as the second overall pick in his draft class. But it all came on the back of deep personal hardships. And no one knows this more than Stroud’s mother.
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The Texan QB’s mother, Kim Stroud recently spoke about the kind of hardships her family and her son have gone through. While speaking with KHOU 11, the proud mother explained that there were a lot of tough times for them, explaining how she had to parent Stroud and his siblings alone.
While talking about her precarious situation she said,
“C J’s father had a substance abuse problem. He struggled with that and it led to, you know, different things in his life that transpired to put him in prison.”
With his father in prison, Stroud and his siblings were all raised by their mother. While speaking about their family’s journey, Kim also spoke about the trying situations they’ve had to face, which for better or for worse helped Stroud gain skills he needed on the gridiron.
The Skills CJ Stroud Developed Through His Upbringing
Growing up, the young QB didn’t have an aspirational father figure to look up to. In the interview, Kim speaks about how she tried to fill in the gaps of a father but there was obviously some disconnect there. The mother also had her hands full with all her children.
This caused Stroud to take on more responsibility at home. Kim spoke about how he stepped up and said,
“CJ really took on kind of like the head of the household male role, which I think helped with the leadership skills that he has now.”
Kim truly believes that Stroud’s leadership skills developed in part due to the roles of responsibility he took up as a child. And those skills have definitely evolved. Throughout college, Stroud displayed immaculate leadership skills with maturity beyond his years.
He fits almost seamlessly into the role of a QB with the kind of level-headedness he displayed. And he has already begun to emulate that same leadership for the Houston Texans. With his past as well the lessons it has taught him, the sky is the ceiling for how high he can take the Texans.
