HOUSTON (KTRK) — C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans said Thursday that he will start this weekend against the Tennessee Titans after missing two games due to a concussion.
“It was tough,” he said. “But my team, they held it down as best as they could and I appreciate that. Now I’m back and I’m happy to be here. I’m happy to just do my job again. It was tough but we’re through it now and I’m excited to play.”
Stroud was hurt in a loss to the Jets on Dec. 10 when his head bounced off the turf after receiving a hit with about 612 minutes left in the fourth quarter.
“I’ve had concussions before but this one was probably the worst one I’ve had just because I hit the back of my head and I hit the ground really hard,” he said. “So that was what made it so bad… I (basically) hit my head on cement.”
Stroud’s comeback represents a significant uplift for the Texans, who secured a win against the Titans in overtime but faced consecutive losses to the Browns in recent weeks, with Case Keenum stepping in for the standout rookie. As the second overall draft pick, Stroud has showcased impressive stats this season, amassing 3,631 passing yards and 20 touchdowns with a mere five interceptions.
The upcoming Sunday match holds immense importance for the Texans (8-7), as they are still in the running for both the AFC South championship and a wildcard playoff berth. However, a defeat on Sunday would drastically reduce their chances of making it to the playoffs for the first time since 2019, dwindling down to a mere 13%.
During the team’s past two games, Stroud was absent and followed Houston’s matches from home via television. His recovery progressed around the time of Houston’s initial game against Tennessee. Stroud mentioned that it was the first game he could watch after his injury since he was previously experiencing vision problems that prevented him from following the games.
Throughout his recuperation, Stroud made efforts to stay optimistic and maintain connections with the team, although he admitted it was a challenging period. He acknowledged the support from his mother and other family members, who played a crucial role in caring for him and easing his recovery process.
“It was another piece of adversity that I’m faced with and how am I going to react,” he said. “So I didn’t try to get too up, too down. I really was just trying to be supportive of my teammates. I was texting them throughout the week and I was keeping up with the game plan. It was tough to watch because of course I wanted to play, but at the end of the day there was nothing I could do… so I just tried to stay calm.”
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