After the Houston Texans season ended with a crushing 34-10 loss in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs, quarterback C.J. Stroud was ready to “Run It Back” immediately. With the amount of success the Texans had this season, with 11 total wins, they want that feeling of exhilaration from the victories and the fans.
Stroud, the odds-on favorite to win the 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, is securely in place to lead the franchise for the next few years. So is most of his offensive line led by 2023 Pro Bowl starter Laremy Tunsil when you add in wide receiver Tank Dell, the potential of Nico Collins being signed to a long-term deal, and additions to the running back position through free agency or the draft.
The only uncertainty was if the Texans would have offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik back to design plays and quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson helping Stroud improve for another season.
“I knew he was going to push me hard,” said Stroud about Slowik’s approach with him. “He was going to be hard on me. He held me to a standard all year. He held me accountable.” #Texans #Sarge #TexansWire pic.twitter.com/9tJWD2k4RF
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) January 31, 2024
Slowik, who like Stroud is also in contention to be recognized as the 2023 Assistant Coach of the Year at the NFL Honors in Las Vegas, has been interviewed by numerous teams such as the Washington Commanders, Atlanta Falcons, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, and Carolina Panthers since the end of the Texans season.
Yet, according to confirmed league sources, he has decided that the best course of action was for him to stay and finish what he started with his friend, head coach DeMeco Ryans, who gave Slowik an opportunity to call plays for the first time in his career based on the relationship he formed with him during their days with the San Francisco 49ers.
“I knew he was going to push me hard,” Stroud said about Slowik’s approach with him. “He was going to be hard on me. He held me to a standard all year. He held me accountable. A lot of times when you’re playing good ball, guys, they kind of let you do what you do and leave you alone. Bobby was always on me about the little details in my position, and I appreciated that because you don’t always get that. He was always just hard on me, but also showed me a lot of love – a ton of love.”
This season has been an incredible ride for quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson, who, like Slowik, appreciated the opportunities he was given to interview this offseason.
“I’ve known Jerrod since I was 16,” Stroud said about QB coach Jerrod Johnson. “One thing that I can say about Jerrod, you talk about somehow who knows how to play the position of quarterback and knows how to relay something, but also just a great person.#Texans #Sarge pic.twitter.com/VoR3b5nFaw
— #SARGE (@BigSargeSportz) January 31, 2024
Johnson, who played quarterback at Texas A&M University, was a candidate for the offensive coordinator jobs with the New Orleans Saints, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers but instead stayed loyal to the Houston Texans franchise and coach Ryans, according to confirmed league sources. It was Ryans who gave him the opportunity to come back home (Johnson is a Houston native) and help develop Stroud, who finished the season with 4,108 passing yards, 23 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. He also led the league with 273.9 yards per game.
“I’ve known Jerrod since I was 16,” Stroud said about Johnson in his final interview with the media to end the season. “One thing that I can say about Jerrod, you talk about somehow who knows how to play the position of quarterback and knows how to relay something, but also just a great person. A guy who loves football, he loves Houston, he loves Texas. Someone who has just taught me a tremendous amount of information, but on top of that, put a lot of confidence into me as well.”
“When I was 16 at the Elite 11, we did like this little circle group; it was like all the quarterbacks in my group. Jerrod’s one thing for me was like, ‘Be confident.’ At that time, I wasn’t really the highest recruit. I wasn’t who I would become. I always knew it would be a possibility, but I didn’t hear those type of – Jerrod is someone I looked up to. When he was like, ‘Man, you need to be more confident,’ it changed my life. From there, fast forward, and now I’m here with him in my rookie year; it’s been just a blessing to work with him. I’m excited for him, and he deserves everything that’s coming for him. I’m super blessed to be able to work with him and Bobbly [Slowik].”
Houston’s abysmal offense improved from 25th in passing yards per game in 2022 to fifth in 2023 under Slowik’s and Johnson’s guidance this season.