Houston Texans legend Andre Johnson offered a critical take on C.J. Stroud.
The NFL Hall of Famer cited a critical factor the fourth-year quarterback could improve on at 0-1 heading into Week 2 after betting on himself and turning down the Texans’ extension offer.
“With him–and this is just me personally–but [what] I dislike about C.J., I dislike his body language. His body language is bad. Any time something happens, it’s like–,” Johnson said on the “LGND Talk Podcast” on September 15.
“He has bad body language, and I don’t know–I think, as a former player, your quarterback having that type of body language is bad, because other guys look at you as the quarterback. So, when they see you, or they see you feeling a certain way, or your body language a certain way, it kind of trickles through the team. So that–I would say–that’s the biggest thing that bothers me when I watch the team play.”
Stroud has been a polarizing topic since the end of last season, and Week 1 continued the trend.
Johnson spent 12 of his 14 years in the NFL with the Texans.
More importantly, though, he has been around the team since Stroud entered the league, including this offseason in training camp.
Texans’ Great Andre Johnson Gets Honest About C.J. Stroud
Show host and NBA champion Kendrick Perkins began the discussion by calling Stroud the “elephant in the room” for the Texans, urging him to “fix your body language” before Johnson spoke on the situation.
Perkins noted Stroud found a groove, but it was bookended by fumbles (with a debilitating sack before the second fumble).
Perkins said he would drink a cup of water before using it to extinguish Stroud in a hypothetical.
Johnson noted the Texans’ defense has to shoulder “a lot” of the blame. He said they made it difficult to win by allowing 36 points. He noted the explosive plays the Texans allowed to the Bills’ offense, but he also cited Stroud’s bet on himself.
“I agree with you, Perk, to a certain extent. When you betting on yourself, and it’s time for that contract year, you got that ball in your hands at the end of the game, you got to go down and score and win the game. That’s–if you betting on yourself, you know what I’m saying? And I think when you’re in a contract situation and you’re in those moments–like you’re going against a Josh Allen, right? Josh Allen is a top, if not the best, top-five quarterback in the NFL,” Johnson told Perkins and co-host, Houston rap legend Lil’ Keke.
“When you play, and you’re in those moments, you got to live up to what you want. You gotta go out there and show that the money that you want, that you’re worth it.”
Johnson believes the Texans’ outlook would be different had Stroud accepted their offer.
That is what led to his comments about Stroud’s body language, coming off not only his training camp experience but also Week 1 against the Bills.
Up next in Week 2 for the Texans, Stroud will have to outduel Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow. Burrow has dealt with poor offensive line play for several seasons. He also looked healthy in Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Texans Legend Andre Johnson Calls Out C.J. Stroud for ‘Bad’ Habit