Former Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud continues to earn recognition for his stellar rookie season with the Houston Texans, with the National Football league naming him both the AFC Offensive Player of the Month and NFL Rookie of the Month on Thursday. Stroud is the first-ever Ohio State quarterback to win an Offensive Player of the Month award and just the second ever rookie to take home the honor, joining current Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, who also won with Houston in 2017.
Stroud, who is largely considered the favorite to take home the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in February, turned in another impressive performance behind center for the Texans in November. In four games, the rookie completed 106 of his 154 (68.8 percent) of his passes for an AFC-leading 3,226 passing yards and 10 touchdowns, while also throwing four interceptions. He also became the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to throw for 300 yards in four-straight games.
Stroud used these efforts to help guide the Texans to a 3-1 record, headlined by a dramatic come-from-behind 30-27 victory against Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals on Nov. 12 where he put his team in position to kick a game-winning field goal on the team’s final drive and finished with 356 passing yards and one touchdown.
This is not the first time the former Buckeye quarterback has received a monthly NFL honor. Stroud also won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month in September after he averaged 302 passing yards and totaled four touchdowns in his first three games, all without throwing an interception. Stroud is now the third former Ohio State player to win two NFL Rookie of the Month nods in one season, joining cornerback Marhson Lattimore and defensive end Joey Bosa, who achieved the feat in 2017 and 2016, respectively.
In his first 11 NFL starts, Stroud has completed 249 of his 391 (63.7 percent) of his passes for 3,266 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. His passing yard total ranks second in the league behind Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell, while his 19 touchdowns rank ninth.
If Stroud is to take home AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, he would become the second-straight Buckeye to take home the award, joining New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson. Former Ohio State running backs Eddie George and John Brockerington also won the awards in 1996 and 1971, respectively.
