HOUSTON — Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and the rest of the rookies on the team started a group chat soon after the NFL draft to discuss their goals.
“And we were like, ‘Man, we’re going to be the foundation that changes this thing around,’ and lo and behold, that’s … what came to be true,” Stroud said.
It happened much quicker than most anyone predicted for the Texans (10-7), who will return to playoffs for the first time since the 2019 season when they host the Cleveland Browns (11-6) in the wild-card round of the AFC playoffs at 4:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday.
Stroud, the second overall pick in April, is the only rookie starting quarterback to make the playoffs this season, and the 22-year-old will face off against the oldest quarterback in the postseason. Cleveland’s Joe Flacco will turn 39 three days after the game.
Stroud will face the Browns for the first time, having missed Houston’s 36-22 home loss to Cleveland on Dec. 24 while recovering from a concussion. The Texans were also missing rookie defensive end Will Anderson Jr., the No. 3 pick in the draft, and linebacker Blake Cashman in that game.