Following a 19-13 victory over the Chicago Bears in Week 2, Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud made sure to offer up some words of wisdom to rookie passer and No. 1 overall pick Caleb Williams.
Some thought it was too much given that Stroud was only in Year 2, though Williams has been playing his best since leaving NRG Stadium and now has the Bears at 4-2.
Stroud, who threw three touchdown passes en route to a 41-21 win over the New England Patriots on Sunday, said he wouldn’t offer any advice to No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye in his first starter leading up to the game.
He never said he wouldn’t talk after the final whistle blew.
“I gave him a little word, you know, tried to give him a little word of encouragement,” Stroud told reporters following the 20-point victory. “I thought he played really solid, you know. Definitely feel like he’ll get better and better as he keeps going.”
Drake Maye 🤝 C.J. Stroud pic.twitter.com/piOV17wLGr
— Patriots Coverage on NBCS Boston (@NBCSPatriots) October 13, 2024
Maye, the standout at North Carolina, tossed two interceptions and coughed up a fumble in the third quarter on a Danielle Hunter sack that led to a Stefon Diggs touchdown. He also threw three touchdown passes, including a 40-yard spiral to Kayshon Boutte with 11 seconds remaining in the first half.
Maye finished 20-of-33 for 243 yards. He also tacked on 38 rushing yards on five attempts and avoided three extra sacks during the fourth quarter.
“It’s definitely encouraging,” Patriots coach Jerod Mayo said. “From a team-wide perspective right now, we let him down.”
Stroud didn’t spend much time with the rookie, but he mentioned several other tips he hopes Maye adds to his game entering Week 7.
What’s the most substantial piece of advice? Be yourself.
“Everything that got you here will take care of where you want to go and really just trust yourself,” said Stroud. “Trust that you’ll eventually figure it out. You’ll have bad days; you’ll have good days. There’s days where you’ll look at yourself like, ‘Man, I’m the worst quarterback in the world’, but it’s always about getting up the next day and keep going. So I would just tell him that and I told him how much I believed in him and I hope to see him do well in this league.
The Texans travel to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers next Sunday at noon CT.