C. J. Stroud

Stroud is the son of Coleridge Stroud and Kimberly Stroud. He has two older brothers, Isaiah and Asmar, and an older sister, Cieara. His father received a 38-years-to-life sentence in 2016 after pleading guilty to kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery connected to a drug-related incident. The incarceration began while Stroud was in middle school and contributed to severe financial hardship for the family.

Stroud has spoken publicly about his Christian faith. During interviews, he has expressed gratitude to Jesus Christ and described prayer and faith as important parts of his foundation.

Stroud played quarterback at Rancho Cucamonga High School, where he led the team to the state semifinals and a 9-4 record. As a senior, he passed for 3,878 yards and 47 touchdowns and was named the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin offensive player of the year. He was selected for the 2020 All-American Bowl.

In 2019, Stroud was named the MVP of the Elite 11 quarterback competition. He entered the recruiting process as a three-star prospect but finished high school as one of the highest-rated quarterbacks in his class. At age 12, he also joined Snoop Dogg's Snoop Youth Football League and played quarterback for two years.

Stroud committed to Ohio State and spent his first season as a redshirt backup to Justin Fields. He played only eight snaps in 2020, but scored a 48-yard rushing touchdown against Michigan State. He became the Buckeyes' starting quarterback in 2021 and went 21-4 as an Ohio State starter.

In 2021, Stroud earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, won Big Ten Quarterback of the Year and Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and finished fourth in Heisman Trophy voting. He set Ohio State's single-game passing record with 573 yards in the Rose Bowl victory over Utah and tied the school record with six touchdown passes.

Stroud followed that season by leading the NCAA in passer rating in 2022 with a mark of 177.7. He was again named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and Big Ten Quarterback of the Year, became a second-team All-American, and was a Heisman Trophy finalist for the second time. He finished his Ohio State career with 8,123 passing yards and 85 touchdowns.

Stroud has been friends with Bryce Young since their high school years in Southern California. The two remained connected through college and were selected with the first two picks of the 2023 NFL draft.

The Houston Texans selected Stroud with the second overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft, making him the highest-drafted quarterback in Ohio State history. He started 15 regular-season games as a rookie, completing 319 of 499 passes for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a 100.8 passer rating.

Stroud's rookie season included a record streak of 191 pass attempts without an interception to begin his career. Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he threw for 470 yards and five touchdowns in a 39-37 comeback victory, setting the NFL rookie record for passing yards in a game and becoming the first rookie quarterback to reach at least 470 passing yards and five touchdowns in one game.

The Texans reached the playoffs in Stroud's first season. In the wild-card round, he threw for 274 yards and three touchdowns in a 45-14 win over the Cleveland Browns, becoming the youngest quarterback in NFL history to win a playoff game. He earned the Pro Bowl, PFWA All-Rookie Team, AFC Offensive Player of the Week, and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.

In 2024, Stroud helped Houston win a second consecutive AFC South title and guided the Texans to a wild-card victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Houston also won its 2025 wild-card game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, while Stroud finished that season with 3,041 passing yards, 19 touchdowns, eight interceptions, and a 92.9 passer rating.