Texans' Laremy Tunsil: 'They Asked Me What I'm Thankful for and I Said C.J. Stroud'

Life is good in Houston thanks to the presence of C.J. Stroud, and every Texans player knows it.

"Super thankful to have a guy like that," Texans offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil told ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime. "Thanksgiving just passed, and they asked me what I'm thankful for and I said C.J. Stroud. Happy to have a quarterback like that who you can make plays whenever it is needed. [Doesn't matter if] we're down by 10, 21, it doesn't matter as long as [Stroud] has the ball in his hands."

Stroud could not play another snap this season and still run away with Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. The Ohio State product has thrown for 3,266 yards and 19 touchdowns against six interceptions while adding another 132 yards and three scores on the ground, pushing the Texans into the AFC playoff race at 6-5.

Given the fact Houston won just 11 games combined the previous three seasons, Stroud's leadership and poise as a rookie has been remarkable.

"With C.J. and what he's been able to do, I think it's part of the reason why we are where we are," Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. "What our record is, it's because when he's played well. I think everybody around him has played together. He can make plays for us, and we've seen that."

Stroud has pulled this off despite a largely unproven group of skill-position players around him. The Houston running game has sputtered, while third-year wideout Nico Collins and fellow rookie Tank Dell lead the way among the receiving corps. Tunsil leads a solid offensive line, but it's not a world-beating group; Stroud's pocket presence and elusiveness in the pocket regularly gives him an extra beat to read the defense and make a throw.

After coming into the NFL with concerns that were no fault of his own—many questioned his ability to handle NFL defenses based off the struggles of fellow Ohio State quarterbacks—Stroud has flipped the narrative and the Texans' fortunes in less than one season.