HOUSTON, Texas - Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has been named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week following a record-tying performance in Week 9, the NFL announced Wednesday.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 08: C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans throws during the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on November 08, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Ryan Sun/Getty Images)
Stroud lit up the scoreboard in Houston’s 44-22 road victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, finishing 21 of 35 for 384 yards, five touchdowns, and a 125.5 passer rating.
Fast start at SoFi
The Texans set the tone immediately on their opening possession, marching 73 yards on eight plays. Stroud went a perfect 5-for-5 on the drive for 53 yards, capping it with a touchdown pass to put Houston ahead early.
Lighting up the NFL leaderboards
His five touchdown passes tied his single-game career high and marked just the second time in his career he has thrown for at least 350 yards and five scores. The last time Stroud achieved the feat was his historic rookie performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov. 5, 2023.
Across the league, Stroud’s 384 passing yards and five touchdowns led all quarterbacks in Week 9. He also posted the third-highest passer rating in the NFL for the week and stood as the only AFC quarterback to eclipse the 300-yard mark. Houston’s 44 points represented the highest scoring total in the AFC in Week 9 and tied the franchise record for the most points scored in a road game.
Setting the standard across the AFC
Through nine weeks this season, the former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year has completed 181 of 282 passes (64.2%) for 2,251 yards and 16 touchdowns, earning a 104.8 passer rating.
Stroud currently leads the AFC with an 8.0 touchdown-to-interception ratio, shares the conference lead in completions of 20-plus yards (32), ranks second in passing yards per game (281.4), and sits third overall in passer rating.
The selection marks the fifth time in Stroud’s career that he has taken home AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.
He is the first player across the NFL to win the weekly award multiple times this season, and the first to do so since Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen in 2025.
The Source: Houston Texans PR