Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud suffered a concussion in Week 14 and hasn’t practiced all week while he goes through the league’s concussion protocol.
That’s typically an indication a player won’t play the following week, but head coach DeMeco Ryans isn’t worried about whether or not his rookie quarterback can play. Instead, Ryans just wants Stroud to get healthy.
“That’s the main thing for [Stroud], getting back healthy,” Ryans said Friday. “Starting to watch a little film, but he’s just getting back healthy and getting back to normal, that’s the main thing for C.J.
“For me, the game is the last thing. It’s [about] how healthy is C.J.? And that’s the only thing that matters. The game – it will take care of itself. But we’re concerned about C.J.’s health. We’re not concerned about, ‘Is he going in this game or not?’ We’ll see. We don’t know, but it’s not about the game. How is C.J. doing? That’s how we approach everything when it comes to the health of our players.”
Stroud is one of several key Texans players who may miss Week 15. It’s an important game against the Tennessee Titans that could decided Houston’s postseason fate.
But Stroud is the franchise quarterback and the face of the franchise. It makes sense that Ryans wouldn’t want to rush him back onto the field too quickly just to win over game. Stroud should have a long career in this league, but one easy way to shorten that is to neglect the long-term consequences of bringing a playing back before he’s fully healthy.
Ryans, a former player himself, clearly understands the importance of giving a player the proper time to heal. And it’s not like the Texans don’t have an experienced backup behind Stroud, either. Davis Mills has won games in the NFL – albiet, not a lot – and should be able to step in should Stroud remain out.
The Texans are thinking big picture here with Stroud – a level of patience not seen often in this league.