The NFL has many young players who have been exhibiting their talent this year. CJ Stroud is one of those players who have caught the most attention recently. Born in October 2001, the quarterback has been contributing well to the Houston Texans. He has already managed to inspire many aspiring footballers. Fans know a lot about Stroud, but many of them wonder about his ethnicity and nationality.
CJ Stroud was born in Rancho Cucamonga, California. The NFL star’s mother, Kimberly Stroud has played a big role in his upbringing. At present, Stroud’s mom is his single parent. As for his father, Coleridge Bernard Stroud, he is in prison and serving a 38-year prison sentence for several charges such as s*xual battery and robbery.
The QB himself once mentioned that he was in middle school when his dad ended up in prison. However, at the same time, CJ Stroud revealed in an interview that his father introduced him to football. It was his father who helped Stroud love football.
As he was born in California, CJ Stroud holds an American nationality. The Houston Texans star reportedly is of a mixed ethnicity but the details about it are not available. As per reports, Stroud has 3 siblings, Asmar, Isaiah, and Ciara. He hasn’t revealed much about his religion but he reportedly follows Christianity.
Despite coming from a struggling family, Stroud has proved to be an exceptional player. The star quarterback has shown his skills numerous times in the NFL.
CJ Stroud faced severe adversities before making it to the NFL
CJ Stroud joined the NFL this year itself, but he has already grabbed eyeballs. The 6-foot-3 athlete has loved football since he was a kid. However, his journey to the league hasn’t been easy at all. His family has gone through a lot of adversities in the past as his father has been in prison. Reports suggest that Coleridge Bernard Stroud has been serving a 38-year-to-life sentence even now.
The father of the Texans QB reportedly pleaded guilty to kidnapping and robbery in a drug case in 2016. At present, Stroud’s dad is in Folsom State Prison. After his dad went to prison, the whole Stroud family was in a huge financial debt. They spent their lives living in a small apartment while Stroud’s mom looked after her kids.
As his father watches from prison, C.J. Stroud takes the NFL by storm ⤵️https://t.co/wwG6occ8iP
— The Athletic NFL (@TheAthleticNFL) November 10, 2023
Even after all the obstacles, CJ Stroud proved to be a phenomenal footballer. The 22-year-old began impressing everyone when he was in high school. During his senior year, he got 47 touchdowns for 3,878 passing yards. This further helped him become the offensive player of the year. The star player has been friends with Panthers star Bryce Young since they were in high school.
After that, Stroud went to Ohio State University and displayed phenomenal performance. While playing for the Ohio State Buckeyes, he served as a backup QB as a freshman. He became the starting QB for the team in 2021 and impressed everyone. Throughout his 3-year college career, the quarterback completed 575 out of his 830 passing attempts. He also got 85 TDs and 12 interceptions for 8,123 passing yards.
After a great college career, CJ Stroud entered the NFL in 2023. The Houston Texans selected him as their 2nd pick in the 1st round of the NFL draft. Till now, the young talent has completed 196 of his 318 passing attempts. He has recorded 15 TDs and 2 interceptions for 2,626 passing yards.
With his talent, CJ Stroud has proved to be an impact player for the Texans. Although they fell short in the 2023-24 season, it will be interesting to see what the next few seasons have in store for the rookie quarterback.