As a fan of the Houston Texans, I simply cannot get enough of reliving the first night of the 2023 NFL Draft—the night that completely changed the course of our team. Using YouTube as a time machine, we go back to the Texans’ draft celebration at Miller Outdoor Theater to see how fans responded to C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson’s consecutive selections:
Even the most naive Texans supporters there in that theater that evening could not have imagined how fantastic everything turned out. To put it mildly, Stroud and Anderson are essential components. After learning only yesterday afternoon that Stroud will be joining Anderson in Orlando this weekend due to his selection to the 2024 Pro Bowl Games, we now know that Anderson was chosen to his first Pro Bowl last week.
Shattering many rookie passing records and taking the Texans from last place in the AFC South in 2022 to a division title in 2023, Stroud made a bold entrance into the league in 2023. While missing two games in December due to a concussion, Stroud started 15 games for the Texans and completed 319 of 499 pass attempts for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, five interceptions, and a passer rating of 100.8.
With a 100.8 passer rating, Stroud had the third-best rookie record in NFL history. Third-most throwing yards ever for a rookie quarterback, with 4,108. Pro Football Writers of America Offensive Rookie of the Year last week went to Stroud, who was by far the greatest rookie quarterback in the league.
One of Stroud’s most remarkable statistics achievements was setting a record for the first-ever NFL career with 192 throwing attempts without an interception at the beginning of his career. Throughout the season, he only threw five interceptions, all of which occurred in three games when the Texans won 3-0. In terms of passing yards per game (273.9) and touchdown to interception ratio (4.60), Stroud also topped the league. Tom Brady and Joe Montana were the only two quarterbacks to do it before Stroud.
Throughout the season, Stroud won two AFC Offensive Player of the Week awards. His record-breaking 470-yard, five-touchdown effort in a thrilling last-second comeback victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers preceded the first. The second one happened in Week 18, when he defeated the Colts in Indianapolis to secure his spot in the playoffs and, eventually, the division. In addition, Stroud won the November AFC Player of the Month and NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month awards.
The skills challenge takes place on Thursday, February 1, and the flag football game is played on Sunday, February 4. The Pro Bowl Games are held in Orlando.