Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud Says Fans Criticized Him on Venmo App

The Buckeyes quarterback was not immune to criticism from his fan base.

Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud was one of the top players in college football over the past two seasons, but he wasn’t able to lead his team beyond the College Football Playoff semifinals.

For most schools, a 21-4 record over a two-season span is enough to become a school legend, but expectations are higher at Ohio State. As a result, Stroud’s 0-2 record against rival Michigan and 0-1 record in the Playoff is what stands out to some fans.

With that in mind, Stroud apparently received messages of criticism in some of the most unlikely places. The quarterback explained that because he isn’t on traditional social media platforms during the season, he would receive criticism on Venmo.

“For me and my teammates, man, being at Ohio State, if you have any source of social media or type of technology, Ohio State fans have it,” Stroud told radio host Jim Rome, per The Columbus Dispatch. “So, man, I was getting DMs—I don’t have social media throughout the season—I was getting DMs on Venmo, the money app, from fans telling me, ‘Play better,’ things like that.”

Stroud has entered his name in the 2023 NFL draft, bringing his time as a Buckeye to a close. As he becomes a professional, he is likely to endure more criticism from fans, but it is difficult to imagine a stranger source of critique than Venmo.