Charlie Batch was an average quarterback starter for a short period with the Detroit Lions in the late 1990s. Later, he became a quality backup for a Super Bowl champion team.
But unfortunately for Batch on Sunday, his name surfaced social media for being an example of a bad NFL quarterback.
“CJ Stroud ain’t nothing but Charlie Batch with Bob Marley braids,” wrote CuffsThe Legend, who according to his bio, co-hosts a show on Fox Sports radio, on X.
CuffstheLegend made that joke after C.J. Stroud threw four interceptions in the first half of the AFC divisional playoffs.
Batch saw the tweet and delivered a response.
“How’d I catch a stray in this? Lol,” wrote Batch.
The former quarterback’s post received 1.8 million views in its first 18 hours.
Batch spent four seasons with the Lions from 1998-2001. He posted two winning seasons in two of his first three campaigns as a starter.
In 2001, though, Batch lost all nine of his starts. Overall, he went 19-27 with the Lions while throwing 49 touchdowns and 40 interceptions in 48 games.
Charlie Batch Catches Stray After Bad C.J. Stroud Half
Batch didn’t really live up to his expectations when the Lions selected him at No. 60 overall in the 1998 NFL Draft. During his fourth season, he lost his starting job after a terrible 0-9 stretch.
But based on the statistics, it wasn’t really fair to compare Stroud’s terrible first half Sunday to Batch.
Over 81 NFL appearances, Batch threw three interceptions in a game four times. But he never had a 4-interception contest let alone throw four picks in one half.
The Houston Texans were competitive Sunday on the road against the New England Patriots. But Stroud’s four picks landed the Texans in an 11-point hole at halftime.
Stroud only had eight interceptions in 14 regular season games during 2025. In two postseason contests, though, he threw five interceptions.
There could be significant pressure on Stroud to perform better next season, which will be his fourth in the league. But unlike Batch, Stroud was the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft. The Texans are going to give him an opportunity to bounce back from the postseason disaster.
While he failed as a Lions starter, Batch also didn’t deserve the stray Sunday because he became a quality backup with the Pittsburgh Steelers to end his career.
Batch won both of his starts for the Steelers during their 2005 Super Bowl campaign. Although he was on IR, Batch was with the organization for the 2008 Super Bowl run as well. He remained with the Steelers through the 2012 season.
In Pittsburgh, Batch posted a 6-3 record in nine starts over 11 years.
Ex-Lions QB Goes Viral After Responding to Major Diss on Social Media