Texans receiver Nico Collins isn’t wavering in his support for quarterback CJ Stroud as Houston heads into a pivotal 2026 season.
“We believe in him, we love him,” Collins told ESPN’s DJ Bien-Aime. “This is the best position he can be in right now. I feel like he is about to go out and show the whole world what he’s made of, and I can’t wait. We got his back 100 percent, all the way.”
Stroud enters his fourth NFL season with questions swirling after a rocky finish to 2025. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft threw for 3,041 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight interceptions over 14 regular-season games, completing 64.5 percent of his passes.
Then came the playoffs. Stroud’s efficiency plummeted: 51.9 percent completions, 462 yards, two touchdowns, and five interceptions. Four of those picks came in the divisional-round loss that ended Houston’s postseason.
Stroud’s 2025 production split sharply between regular season and playoffs
The numbers tell the story. Stroud’s completion rate dropped by 12.6 percentage points in the postseason. His touchdown-to-interception ratio flipped from 19-to-8 in the regular season to just 2-to-5 in the playoffs. Houston faces a decision: trust the larger regular-season sample, or worry about the late-season turnover spike as 2026 begins.
| 2025 segment | Games | Completion rate | Passing yards | Touchdowns | Interceptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular season | 14 | 64.5% | 3,041 | 19 | 8 |
| Postseason | Not stated | 51.9% | 462 | 2 | 5 |
| Divisional round | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | 4 |
Four interceptions in a single elimination game defined Stroud’s offseason narrative. That divisional-round collapse accounted for 80 percent of his postseason turnovers, concentrating the concern on the Texans’ final game.
Collins isn’t dwelling on the negatives. He’s focused on Stroud’s readiness and the locker room’s belief in their quarterback. For Collins, the playoff stumble isn’t the final word on Stroud’s development.
General Manager Nick Caserio said last week that contract-extension talks with Stroud will pause once the season starts if no deal is reached by Sunday. That sets up a full 2026 evaluation window and puts the onus on Stroud to deliver before any offseason negotiations.
A strong year would put Stroud in position for a major payday. His 2025 regular-season numbers, 19 touchdowns, eight interceptions, make a solid case, but the postseason tape lingers after five picks in just 462 passing yards.
Collins, one of Stroud’s top targets, isn’t hedging his bet: “He’s built for everything.”
