Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud experienced immediate success in the NFL, earning a substantial salary right from the start of his professional career. Stroud’s exceptional performance on the field is particularly noteworthy given the challenges he faced as a teenager, with his father being sentenced to 38 years to life in prison. Reflecting on the adversity, Stroud shared with the Associated Press (via the Portland Press Herald) in January that he felt hopeless for a period and wasn’t certain about his future. Despite these personal struggles, Stroud managed to excel on the football field at both the college and professional levels.
Following his selection as the No. 2 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, C.J. Stroud played a pivotal role in revitalizing the Houston Texans franchise. Prior to stepping onto the field, he secured a lucrative four-year contract worth $36.3 million, signed in July 2023. Despite a rookie-year salary of $750,000 for the 2023 season, Stroud received a substantial $23 million signing bonus from the team.
According to Spotrac, Stroud’s salary is set to increase to nearly $2.4 million in 2024, followed by increments to $4 million in 2025, and reaching almost $5.7 million in the final year of the contract. Notably, the impact of state taxes in Texas is expected to enhance Stroud’s take-home pay, potentially surpassing that of Bryce Young, the first overall pick in the draft, as reported by Yahoo! Sports. It’s worth noting that Stroud’s contract figures only represent part of his overall financial worth in the NFL.
Before entering the NFL, C.J. Stroud showcased his quarterbacking prowess at Ohio State University, where he gained recognition as one of the nation’s top quarterbacks. Notably, during his tenure as a Buckeye, Stroud secured multiple name-image-likeness (NIL) deals. This opportunity to earn money through NIL deals while in college was a relatively new rule, and Stroud expressed gratitude for the impact it had on his life and future.
Speaking to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram in September 2022, Stroud acknowledged the transformative effect of NIL deals, stating, “It’s definitely changed my life for the future, and I think it’s a jump-start to being a businessman before you get to the NFL.” He also empathized with older players who didn’t have the chance to benefit from such opportunities, noting, “I feel bad for the older players that didn’t have the opportunity to get money from this… They should have made a killing.”
During his time at Ohio State University (OSU), C.J. Stroud secured notable name-image-likeness (NIL) deals, capturing attention with endorsements that went beyond the football field. One eye-catching deal was with a car dealership in Canton, where Sarchione Auto Gallery provided Stroud with a leased Bentley Bentayga valued at $150,000 in July 2022. This partnership involved Stroud promoting the dealership.
In addition to the car dealership deal, Stroud became a style ambassador for the clothing company Express in April 2022. As part of this endorsement, just before the football season kicked off in September, Stroud generously gifted his teammates $500 gift cards to purchase new suits from the clothing store. In a video posted by the Buckeyes’ social media account, Stroud encouraged his teammates, saying, “Make sure you’re looking fly. Make sure we all look like a team.”
Despite these lucrative endorsement deals, Stroud’s journey at OSU had its challenges, demonstrating that his collegiate experience wasn’t without its ups and downs.
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As the quarterback for one of the nation’s most prominent football teams, C.J. Stroud faced significant scrutiny, prompting him to adopt a social media blackout during the season. Reflecting on his last year at Ohio State University, Stroud commented on the intense scrutiny from Buckeyes fans, acknowledging that dealing with such attention was a two-way street. In an interview on “The Jim Rome Show” in February 2023 (via Saturday Tradition), Stroud discussed the challenges of being under the spotlight, stating, “It’s a two-way street. We’re all humans and [some] people tell you they don’t care, they’re blocking it out.”
Despite his decision to stay off social media during the season, Stroud revealed that fans still found ways to criticize him online, even going so far as to send direct messages on Venmo, the money app, urging him to perform better. Stroud noted that he learned to handle the trolling with resilience and a level-headed approach.
C.J. Stroud’s composed handling of both on-field and off-the-field challenges may have come as a surprise to some, but one unexpected supporter was none other than Snoop Dogg. The rapper, appearing on “Inside the NFL” in December 2023 (via Sports Rush), expressed his long-standing belief in the quarterback, referring to Stroud as the “underdog that turned into the wonderdog.”
Snoop Dogg’s confidence in Stroud can be traced back to their earlier connection when the rapper coached the Houston Texans star in youth football. Speaking about Stroud’s character, Snoop Dogg remarked, “C.J. has always been a stand-up kind of kid. He’s always been a leader,” highlighting the quarterback’s qualities that had left a lasting impression on him from their time together in youth football.
