Still, Stroud is aware of what Sunday means to those in the state he’ll be visiting. And he knows Burrow has set a standard he’s still aiming to match.
“Joe [Burrow] is someone that I respect a lot,” Stroud said. “I was a big fan of his, especially when he was at LSU, and then of course, he was at Ohio State, so we have that kind of similarity. We met each other over the summer, and we got to talk about some of the things that we had [in common], us being Buckeyes and stuff like that. He had a lot of great advice for me that I’m still using to this day.
“So, [he’s] somebody that I look up to and really, really happy that he’s getting it rolling. He’s having a great season so far – definitely think he’s an MVP in this league. He’s a top-five player every year – just showing that ever since his second year – really had a really good rookie year as well, but sadly got hurt. A lot of things to learn from that guy.
“He’s a hell of a leader and a really good person – somebody that only isn’t looking out for himself. He shot me a text over the year congratulating me on some of the success and things like that, gave me some advice and things like that. Shoutout to Joe, man. I’m excited to lineup against him and compete against those guys.”
Stroud is off to a phenomenal start in 2023, setting rookie records for the most consecutive pass attempts to start a career without throwing an interception (191). He broke a mark held by Andrew Luck for more than a decade last weekend, finishing with 470 passing yards and five touchdowns in an incredible 39-37 comeback win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Because of Stroud’s performance, fans in Houston finally have a reason to be excited about the Texans again. Suddenly, they’re circling upcoming games on Houston’s schedule, starting with this weekend’s meeting with the ascending Bengals.
“Yeah, I think it’s huge. I think for so long, they’ve been fiending for a good Texans season or a good Texans team,” Stroud said. “Just something to be excited for other than the Astros and the Rockets playing [well]. So, for us, [and] I think for [coach] DeMeco [Ryans] especially — he played for the Texans, and he’s been in Houston for a long time — and that was one of his main goals, was just to make people want to be around again, and I think we’re doing that. So, it’s an honor, man, to have people tuned back in.
“Every week, I feel like we’re getting more people in the crowd. Honestly, when we played the Colts, that was my first time in a long, long time that I played in front of a full stadium, so I just want it to be back to that. Because even Case [Keenum] tells me when he first got here, ‘Man, the games used to be cracking.’ Everybody used to come out – from fans to celebrities. I feel like we have a good buzz now, and now it’s time to take it to the next level, on the field it starts, and then off the field just with the support of the fans, so we appreciate it, man.”
Folks outside of football have started to notice. Los Angeles Lakers superstar and Akron, Ohio, product LeBron James — a well-known fan of the Buckeyes — is reveling in Stroud’s early success.
