J.J. Watt explains how C.J. Stroud, Texans can improve after he says QB had best rookie season in NFL history

NEW YORK -- C.J. Stroud had one of the greatest first seasons for a quarterback in NFL history. CBS' "THE NFL TODAY" analyst J.J. Watt took it a step further, saying Stroud did have the best rookie season for any quarterback in the 104-year history of the league.

"He had the best rookie quarterback season of all-time," Watt said. "He needs to keep doing what he's been doing. Leading his guys, being a great teammate, distributing the ball all over the field.

"He clearly had such poise and command of that offense in year one. Now, he has a full offseason to continue with his new teammates and learn the playbook, get the the coordinators. You can only expect even better things."

Stroud's rookie season set the barometer high for rookie quarterbacks to come. He finished his rookie season completing 63.9% of his passes for 4,108 yards with 23 touchdowns to five interceptions for a 100.8 passer rating, leading the NFL in pass yards per game (273.8) and having the lowest interception rate (1.0%).

The highest-drafted rookie quarterback to win a playoff game (No. 2 overall), Stroud's 4,108 passing yards were the third-most by a rookie quarterback in NFL history. He's just the third quarterback in the past 50 seasons to lead the NFL in pass yards per game and touchdown-to-interception ratio (4.6, minimum 10 starts), joining Joe Montana and Tom Brady . Stroud also had the highest touchdown-to-interception ratio against winning teams in NFL history (including playoffs), having 21 touchdowns to two interceptions (10.5).

C.J. Stroud's rookie QB ranks (all-time)

*Minimum 300 attempts

Stroud finished the season with 4,557 passing yards, the second-most ever by a rookie (including the postseason). He also began his career with a record 192 consecutive pass attempts without an interception, the most ever by a player to begin a career.

Because of what Stroud was able to accomplish, the Houston Texans have emerged as a Super Bowl contender in the AFC. Stroud was responsible for leading the Texans to an 11-6 record and an AFC South division title in his rookie season. The Texans matched the number of victories it had in the three prior seasons combined (11) before they drafted Stroud (2020-2022).

Stroud, combined with rookie head coach DeMeco Ryans , became just the third rookie quarterback-head coach duo to win a playoff game since 1950, joining Joe Flacco and John Harbaugh (2008) and Mark Sanchez and Rex Ryan (2009).

"Their expectations are extremely high, as they should be," Watt said of the Texans. "They obviously had a great year last year and added pieces to it. DeMeco Ryans is an unbelievable coach, so they should have very high expectations. I'm very much looking forward to seeing what they do."

Watt, who is arguably the greatest player in Texans franchise history, has been impressed with the incredible turnaround of the franchise in just 12 months. Stroud played a major role in the transformation of the franchise, but Ryans is just as important.

"Oh man, I can't even really state how much he's brought to that franchise," Watt said. "Stability, first of all, this is an organization that's had a little bit of a rough go, but he's brought stability to it. He brought leadership, he's brought knowledge, intensity, and identity. He's exactly what they needed.

"I couldn't be happier he's the head coach of the Texans."

The Texans had their biggest test in the divisional round of the playoffs last January, when the Baltimore Ravens beat them, 34-10, to end their Cinderella season. That exam was the one Houston needed for to prepare itself as a championship contender.

"That was a tough game," Watt said. "The AFC is a tough place to play. Obviously you have the Chiefs and everything that comes along with it. Baltimore is a tough place to play on the road, but it's a good experience, too.

"Young quarterback with a first year head coach, I think they are poised for a very, very good year because of that."