'It Factor!' DeMeco Ryans Reveals How Stroud Earns Texans' Respect

Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans spoke on Monday about the traits that make quarterback C.J. Stroud well-respected within the locker room.

Houston Texans fans headed into the season nervously anticipating the performance of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. Through two games, and two losses, the results have been a mixed bag.

Still, Stroud is putting up strong numbers. In Week 2, a 31-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts featured 47 pass attempts from Stroud. The comeback attempts were futile, but 30 completions for 384 yards and two scores remains impressive. Per Next Gen Stats, his passing score this season while not pressured (91) falls behind only Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (92).

Numbers aside, there’s reason for optimism in Houston. Stroud has seemingly already won over the locker room. He’s been a bright spot on a struggling Texans team and is justifying his second-overall draft capital as well as one could hope.

Head coach DeMeco Ryans spoke on Monday about the toughness he’s shown and how that has impacted the team as a whole.

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“You know what he’s dealing with, dealing with a little shoulder soreness and he fights through it,” Ryans said, via “Coffee with Coach.” “He goes out there and puts it on the line for his time on Sunday and didn’t complain one second about it. The respect factor is out of the roof. Guys respect him in the locker room.”

For a team that’s already riddled with injuries, including starting safeties Jimmie Ward and Jalen Pitre, along with several starting offensive linemen, Stroud’s toughness earned him some respect. He’s going to get hit this year—a lot. Playing through minor ailments and playing well in spite of them speaks to his pedigree.

“You can’t help but respect a guy, when you see him, the way he works every day,” Ryans said. “He’s the guy breaking our team down, speaking to the team, he has all of those leadership qualities and that ‘it factor’ that guys gravitate towards him.”

Even the coaching staff shares this sentiment. Ryans shared that even the coaches have been impressed by Stroud’s durability.

“This kid, he can handle a lot,” Ryans concluded. “You can put a lot on his shoulders, and we just have to continue to play well around him.”

Stroud will have another opportunity to win over fans and teammates alike on Sunday, when the Texans visit the Jacksonville Jaguars. Puting Houston in the victory column is a box Stroud is yet to check, but a divisional upset in enemy territory could work wonders for a team trying to find its footing.