Houston Texans' Laremy Tunsil Gets Into Holiday Spirit, 'Thankful' For C.J. Stroud
With Thanksgiving now in the rear-view mirror and plenty more celebrations coming up, the 2023 holiday season is officially in full swing
Safe to say that Houston Texans offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil is feeling the holiday spirit. After Thanksgiving, the star lineman showed his appreciation for not just the current state of the team, but specifically star rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud.
"Super thankful to have a guy like that," Tunsil told ESPN. "Thanksgiving just passed, and they asked me what I'm thankful for and I said C.J. Stroud. Happy to have a quarterback like that who you can make plays whenever it is needed. [Doesn't matter if] we're down by 10, 21, it doesn't matter as long as [Stroud] has the ball in his hands."
Graphic of Stroud and Tunsil side-by-side.
With the way Stroud has played in his rookie season, it's abundantly clear why Tunsil and others are so thankful for him. The second overall pick out of Ohio State has taken the league by storm, completing 63.7 percent of his passes for 3,266 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. Thanks to his outstanding performance right out of the gate, Stroud has emerged as the runaway favorite for Offensive Rookie of the Year and even a dark-horse MVP candidate.
"It's a blessing, man," Stroud said. "Honestly, for me everything always goes back to my faith and my family. They gave me a lot of freedom to really hone in on my job, and this isn't college. This is a job. Like I was talking to [Tom] Brady on the podcast, he had a great word of advice for me. 'This is your job. People are depending on you.'"
The Texans couldn't be happier with their new franchise quarterback and the impact he's had on the franchise. After three straight seasons in the basement, Houston is now at 6-5 and in the thick of the playoff race.
There are obviously other factors that have contributed to the Texans' rise, but Stroud's impact cannot be understated.
"They show me that they really do trust in me, and I trust in them right back," Stroud said. "It's definitely helpful and gives me a lot of confidence. I appreciate those guys fighting for me, and I'm fighting right for them."
