The so-called future $60 million QB, C.J. Stroud, hasn’t been making many positive headlines in the 2025 season. After four straight losses, including that brutal Divisional Round exit last season at Arrowhead against the Chiefs, it looks like Stroud has taken a step back from his sophomore slump of a season.
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Now, with a divisional clash against the Texans set for Sunday, who are also 0-3, the spotlight is even brighter on the young QB. This game will decide who stays at the bottom of the AFC South, and if it’s Stroud’s squad, it’s hard to imagine things getting any rosier for the rest of the season.
And if you’ve been wondering what’s going on with the QB, especially in a division that’s typically weak, former head coach Jon Gruden isn’t seeing much to be excited about. According to Gruden, Stroud looks like he’s running on empty, with not much juice left.
“I used to draft guys because they had juice. There’s nothing worse than being around somebody that’s got no juice. No energy. Then, you go 0-3 and you got no juice? That’s a bad combination,” Gruden said on Pro Football Football Show.
The Barstool Sports analyst went on to call the Texans’ offense the worst in the league. And when a panelist mentioned that the O-line has played poorly as well, Gruden shot that down, saying, “You can’t keep blaming other people.”
He also added that the QB’s body language hasn’t been very encouraging. “You gotta play better. He’s better than this. I don’t like his body language. I don’t know if he’s engaged with his guys. He doesn’t look like he’s having fun.”
Gruden knows Stroud has a lot on his plate, but the QB needs to get it together. And that starts with loosening up a bit.
“I hope hes listening. He’s gotta cut it loose. He’s gotta take the Texans out of the darkness. And hes gotta be the light. Stroud, he’s gotta get his act together and get the Texans going.”
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It’s true that C.J. Stroud hasn’t gotten much help from the O-line, and his only reliable receiving target remains Nico Collins. But as Gruden points out, many other QBs around the league face similar struggles and still manage to make it work somehow.
His two interceptions against the Jags last week were brutal. Both came in the fourth quarter, and one killed the chances of tying the game. Stroud needs to correct his mistakes before he becomes the story everyone remembers for the wrong reasons.
