Texans' Dalton Schultz Defends QB C.J. Stroud's Playoff Struggles

Schultz argues Stroud's poor performance wasn't entirely his fault.

Feb. 26, 2026 at 10:47am

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Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz has come to the defense of quarterback C.J. Stroud, arguing that Stroud's struggles in the team's playoff loss to the New England Patriots weren't solely his fault. Schultz pointed to the pressure Stroud was under, saying "Everybody's got to turn themselves" and that "it's not all on C.J." However, as the franchise quarterback, Stroud will likely continue to face criticism for the team's playoff exit, in which he threw four first-half interceptions.

Why it matters

As the Texans' starting quarterback, C.J. Stroud's performance is heavily scrutinized, and his struggles in the playoff loss have led to significant backlash. Dalton Schultz's defense of Stroud highlights the complexities of evaluating quarterback play and the challenges Stroud faces as the team's leader.

The details

In the Texans' playoff loss to the Patriots, Stroud threw four first-half interceptions, which paved the way for the defeat. Schultz, Stroud's teammate, argued that the quarterback's struggles weren't entirely his fault, saying "Do you think he throws some of those picks if he didn't have a guy in his lap?" Schultz believes the issues were "entangled" and that it's difficult to place blame solely on one player.

  • The Texans lost to the New England Patriots in the 2026 NFL playoffs.

The players

C.J. Stroud

The Houston Texans' starting quarterback, who struggled in the team's playoff loss to the New England Patriots, throwing four first-half interceptions.

Dalton Schultz

The Houston Texans' tight end, who has come to the defense of his quarterback, C.J. Stroud, arguing that Stroud's poor performance wasn't entirely his fault.

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What they’re saying

“Everybody's got to turn themselves. It's not all on C.J. Do you think he throws some of those picks if he didn't have a guy in his lap? Everything is so entangled in football that it's hard to put anything on one guy ever.”

— Dalton Schultz, Tight End

The takeaway

This situation highlights the challenges faced by NFL quarterbacks, who are often held accountable for a team's performance, even when other factors may have contributed to their struggles. Dalton Schultz's defense of C.J. Stroud suggests that the Texans' issues were more complex than simply blaming the quarterback, but Stroud will likely continue to face scrutiny as the team's leader.