David Kull
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who’s missed the last two weeks while in concussion protocol, returned to practice Wednesday and has moved one step closer to being cleared to play. And the timing couldn’t be better.
Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said Stroud still needs to pass Stage 4 of the concussion protocol to be cleared to play this Sunday against Tennessee.
In Stage 4, Stroud must prove he can “tolerate football-specific activity without a recurrence of signs or symptoms of concussion.”
The Texans (8-7) need their rookie quarterback back on the field as they battle for their playoff lives over the final two weeks.
As the No. 8 seed in the AFC, the Texans are a “bubble” team that currently has a 37-percent chance of making the playoffs. Their chances increase to 52 percent with a victory over Tennessee, but they drop to 13 percent with a loss.
Related: NFL QB rankings: Where does C.J. Stroud rank?
C.J. Stroud still having one of the best rookie seasons
Before he suffered the concussion in Week 14 against the New York Jets, Stroud was having one of the best seasons in NFL history for a rookie quarterback.
Stroud, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft, had set record records for passing attempts to start a career without an interception and most passing yards in one game.
With 3,631 passing yards and 20 TD passes, Stroud was on pace to break those passing records before the injury. For now, he’s 743 yards short of Andrew Luck’s passing yardage mark, set in 2012, and 11 TD passes short of Justin Herbert’s record in 2020.
Regardless of the missed time, Stroud is still fifth among NFL quarterbacks in passer rating (98.7), which is also the fourth-best passer rating among rookies.
Case Keenum has filled in for Stroud and led the Texans to a 1-1 record over the past two weeks. But it’s clear how much of an upgrade Stroud would be if he’s able to return to the field Sunday.
The Texans’ chances of making the playoffs depend on Stroud’s return.
