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.
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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.