Rookie QB-coach to make playoffs: Texans’ DeMeco Ryans, C.J. Stroud make history as fifth postseason team with rookie duo

By | January 6, 2024

Anyone that picked the Texans to reach the playoffs before the 2023 season began had either a DeLorean with a flux capacitor or a Texans’ hat on when filling out their predictions.

Houston went 3-13-1 in 2022. That was a year removed from going 4-13, which was a year removed from going 4-12. The Texans were going to be on their fifth head coach in four years and were going to be starting a rookie quarterback under center.

But DeMeco Ryans and C.J. Stroud have been on a mission all season. Ryans was putting on a masterclass of coaching all season despite a young roster that was often marred by injuries. Stroud was lighting up opponents week after week.

On Saturday, the Texans did what many believed impossible: they punched their ticket to the playoffs. A fearless Ryans-Stroud combo wound up topping the Colts 23-19 in a win-or-go-home game. The victory sealed Houston’s playoff spot and a Titans’ win over the Jaguars on Sunday would secure the franchise its first division title since winning back-to-back in 2018-19.

MORE: How questionable fourth-down play call cost Colts

There has been plenty of history made along the way. But Stroud and Ryans will go into the record books as a rare combination. 

Rookie quarterback-coach combinations to make playoffs

Most teams that come into a year with a rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback are looking at a rebuild. In the Texans’ case, it was the sign of a team with a bright future getting started early.

Ryans and Stroud became only the fifth rookie quarterback-coach combination to make the playoffs, the first since Chuck Pagano and Andrew Luck in 2012. Here’s a look at the only other combinations to pull off the impressive feats:

Year Team Coach Quarterback Record Playoff finish
2023 Texans DeMeco Ryans C.J. Stroud 10-7 TBD
2012 Colts Chuck Pagano Andrew Luck 11-5 Wild-card round
2009 Jets Rex Ryan Mark Sanchez 9-7 Conference championship
2008 Ravens John Harbaugh Joe Flacco 11-5 Conference championship
2008 Falcons Mike Smith Matt Ryan 11-5 Wild-card round

The track record of rookie combos to date is to lose early or play late. No rookie coach-quarterback combination has reached the Super Bowl, however.

Rookie quarterbacks to reach playoffs

Stroud has had a remarkable season for a rookie quarterback. And he joins some rare company by being under center for a playoff team in year No. 1.

He is only the 15th quarterback since at least 1950 to lead his team to the playoffs in his rookie season while starting at least 10 games, according to Stathead.

Year Team Quarterback Record Playoff finish
2023 Texans C.J. Stroud 10-7 TBD
2021 Patriots Mac Jones 10-7 Wild-card round
2016 Cowboys Dak Prescott 13-3 Divisional round
2012 Redskins Robert Griffin III 10-6 Wild-card round
2012 Colts Andrew Luck 11-5 Wild-card round
2012 Seahawks Russell Wilson 11-5 Divisional round
2011 Bengals Andy Dalton 9-7 Wild-card round
2009 Jets Mark Sanchez 9-7 Conference championship
2008 Ravens Joe Flacco 11-5 Conference championship
2008 Falcons Matt Ryan 11-5 Wild-card round
2005 Bears Kyle Orton 11-5 Divisional round
2004 Steelers Ben Roethlisberger 15-1 Conference championship
1985 Rams Dieter Brock 11-5 Conference championship
1985 Browns Bernie Kosar 8-8 Divisional round
1983 Broncos John Elway 9-7 Wild-card round

C.J. Stroud stats

It was another explosive game for Stroud in a season filled with explosive games. He finished the game having completed 20 of 26 passes for 264 yards and a pair of touchdowns. 

Stroud finished the season with 4,108 passing yards, 23 passing touchdowns and only five interceptions. He also completed 63.9 percent of his passes.

The debut season put Stroud in several historic camps among rookies. He became only the fifth quarterback to top 4,000 passing yards, trailing only Andrew Luck (4,374) and Justin Herbert (4,336). Stroud and Herbert are the only two quarterbacks to have topped the 4K mark in under 16 games (15 each).

Stroud also became the third rookie quarterback to throw five or fewer interceptions while passing for at least 20 touchdowns. He joins Robert Griffin III  (20 touchdowns, five interceptions) and Dak Prescott (23 touchdowns, four interceptions).

Stroud’s game on Saturday also moved him into a tie with Herbert for the most games as a rookie with at least 250 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and no interceptions, according to Stathead. He also became only the seventh quarterback to meet all that criteria while also completing at least 75 percent of his passes, per Stathead.

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