Fox Sports Writer Has a Bold C.J. Stroud Take for 2025

Source: Quarterback C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans drops back to pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Baltimore Ravens, at NRG Stadium on December 25, 2024 in Houston, Texas. (Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

Fox Sports released their “25 Bold Predictions for 2025” list Tuesday, with several interesting takes and predictions from across the sports landscape for the year ahead. One that may be of interest to Houston Texans fans was that quarterback C.J. Stroud will win the 2025 NFL MVP, according to Ben Arthur.

C.J. Stroud had a stellar rookie campaign in 2023, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year, being the fifth rookie to pass for over 4,000 yards and secured a Pro Bowl nod. He did this while leading the Texans back to the playoffs, where he led the team to a 45-14 win over the Cleveland Browns in the wild-card round.

Stroud experienced a bit of a slump in his sophomore season, throwing for only 3,727 yards in 17 games compared to 4,108 yards in 15 games the previous season. He’s thrown 20 touchdowns this season compared to 23 the season prior, and his interceptions thrown has more than doubled, going from five to 12 in year two. Other metrics have also declined, with his passer rating down 13.8 points to 87.0 and his QBR sitting at 50.2, 7.3 points lower than in 2023. While the team won the same amount of games this season with 10 and a second straight division title, the buzz surrounding Stroud and the Texans seems to have wained.

Despite this, Arthur believes Stroud is primed for a major comeback season, given he’d have two full seasons of experience under his belt and a projects the Texans will upgrade its offensive line and other offensive weapons to help set up the young quarterback’s MVP campaign.

“I think he bounces back in year two with a vengeance; a reminder of what he was as a rookie coupled with the experience of two full seasons under his belt. An improved Texans’ interior offensive line, a healthy wide receiver room and better play-calling enable Stroud to put up historic numbers, leading the Texans to a third straight division title and a chance to secure the AFC’s No. 1 overall seed in 2025.”

What do you think Houston? Is Stroud ready to take that next step and compete for MVPs as early as next season against the NFL’s best? Will he ever reach that kind of ceiling?