Who is CJ Stroud?
A quick search will tell you CJ Stroud is the reigning Rookie of the Year, while Adam Schefter says he’s coming off the best introductory season under center in NFL history.
Turn on TikTok and Robert Griffin III exclaims that CJ’s the MVP favorite going into just his second pro season with the Houston Texans. Flip on ManningCast and Peyton’s proclaiming that Stroud’s competitiveness and composure are comparable to Pat Mahomes and Tom Brady.
Insiders, almanacs, and athletes-turned-talking heads can all tell you what CJ Stroud has done and what he can be. But what do those closest to him have to say about who CJ Stroud is right now?
“Out of this world,” four-time NFL Pro Bowler and teammate Laremy Tunsil told Boardroom. “He’s so poised and so calm. But when he needs to demand the huddle or the team? He can do that and everybody listens.”
“He’s so on it he knows what the defense is gonna do before they do it,” added teammate Tank Dell in a conversation with Boardroom.
On the field, CJ carries himself like a vet and plays with the joy of a child. His IQ is that of a football genius, while his EQ endears him to teammates, coaches, and ownership. Away from football, he’s perhaps more magnificent. That same sense of seeing a play before it develops and connecting to each individual in a room is less known but universally acknowledged by those around him.
“He’s a marketer’s dream,” Houston-based artist and entrepreneur Bun B told Boardroom. “This kid is exactly who you want your son to be like and who you want your daughter to date.”
Amassing equity as an underclassman, Stroud has the chance to be one of the most powerful figures in football and one of the brightest minds in business. True to form, both booms are coming sooner than anyone expected.
“It was a process to learn how to become a young man so fast. I want to be a boss in my own right.”
— CJ Stroud
Playing the premier position in the perfect market, CJ has the chance to seize a city of 2.3 million football fans and pave the path to half a billion in income before turning 29.
Boardroom spent a day with Stroud and spoke with some of those closest to him to fully understand who the Texans quarterback is in life, football, and business.
Contract Year
By all accounts, CJ Stroud is ahead of schedule. From football to finances, doubling down when counted out has changed his timeline and priorities.
A man since middle school, CJ encountered a crossroads at 13 when his father was incarcerated, removing his hero from the household. While many children in his position have wandered off path when confronted with a similar reality, Stroud found unlikely inspiration one morning on his kitchen table.
Just months after CJ’s father’s incarceration, California native James Harden received a record contract, fittingly from the Houston Rockets. The local newspaper celebrated the historic $228 million deal, detailing every penny.
“They broke it all down by the year and the incentives,” Stroud said. “I thought, ‘Man, they’re paying this dude all this money to play a sport we grew up loving?’ From that moment on, my life changed.”
A two-sport standout since Pre-K, CJ cut out all distractions, diving into football, film, and training with an insatiable why.
“I stopped going to lunch. I stopped hanging out. I stopped going to parties. I started grinding to change my family dynamic.
– CJ Stroud
Escaping his cramped apartment and the agony of six-hour car rides just to see his dad, the teenager dug deep to make the Stroud name a point of pride. This is why, to this day, CJ has the maturity of a man twice his age, financial goals greater than himself, and a fiery faith. It’s also what drew him to work with the Reform Alliance, which seeks to create real change the carceral system.
“It lit a passion in him,” Robert Rooks, the organization’s CEO, told Boardroom. “We see that play out on Sundays.”
Business School
Financial debt and football dreams led CJ Stroud to Rancho Cucamonga High School in California, where he went from freshman second-stringer to MVP of the coveted Elite 11.
The buzz began his senior season, as colleges from far and wide began recruiting CJ. Despite having a QB room flocked by future first-round draft pick Justin Fields and Heisman hopeful Quinn Ewers, Stroud decided to play at Ohio State University.
“People tell you to run from competition or a loaded room,” he said. “But in my opinion? That’s the best way to get better.”
Iron sharpened iron in practice and the film room, as Stroud studied under Fields as a redshirt freshman. He earned the starting spot his second season in Columbus and his arrival coincided with a new era in college sports where athletes could finally capitalize on the business of their game. Through Fields, CJ became connected to marketing man Bryan Burney and the team at Athletes First.
“The NIL ruling was coming down the pipeline going into CJ’s first year as a starter at Ohio State,” Burney told Boardroom. “A lot of athletes grow into and find their voice, but CJ is so advanced. He has such strong awareness — socially and personally.”
Almost overnight, CJ went from Buckeye backup to leader of the No. 6 team in the country. Big Ten blitzes and endorsement offers alike came at him fast.
“I was offered deals off the rip,” said Stroud. “I slowed down to play first, show what I could do on the field, and go from there. I didn’t jump right into it, I wanted to show who I was.”
Throwing four touchdowns in his first start followed by 472 passing yards against Oregon, CJ showed up and showed out. The cash came calling, but poise peaked through.
“I was advised against accepting fast money as a kid,” Stroud said. “I signed with a financial advisor in college. I built a great team of checks and balances where everybody is keeping each other at bay.”
That pace paid off. In two seasons at Ohio State, CJ became a national name on the field and a power player off of it. He won back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Year honors and was able to ink two equity deals, taking four brand partners with him into the NFL. In the Wild Wild West world of NIL, this is not normal. But neither is CJ.
While his peers swapped their likeness for quick cash, Stroud visualized life beyond Ohio State. Stroud’s curiosity and communication skills placed him in rooms most Heisman hopefuls don’t even consider.
“The way he carried himself in meetings? Some people might want to meet once a deal is in place, but he was always down,” Burney said. “He met with the Lemon Perfect founder for lunch and was able to get some equity. Same thing with C4. He went down to Austin, met with a founder, and now they’ve been bought by Dr. Pepper.”
In two seasons at OSU, connecting with receivers and founders became second nature for CJ. True to his C4 equity agreement, an ability to woo upper management would foreshadow CJ’s next trip to Texas.
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Immediate Impact
On April 27, 2023, the Houston Texans selected CJ Stroud second overall in the NFL Draft.
By Day 2 on the job, he was already making plays.
“Once they drafted him? I hit him up saying, ‘Come get me, bro,’” said Tank Dell, who made a strong connection with Stroud at the NFL Combine. “He hit me back, ‘I got you.’ The next thing I know? My phone is ringing. He got me where I wanted to be.”
Influencing an organization valued at $5.5 billion, CJ contacted the front office about selecting the 5-8 flash in Dell. The Texans took Tank shortly after, fortified by a Facetime call from the new QB.
Immediately meeting in Houston, the two rookies began brainstorming football’s future in Houston.
“When he came into OTAs? He was taking leadership and doing things other rookies like myself weren’t comfortable with,” Dell said. “He took control.”
And it wasn’t just the rookies, either. Team captains were also buying into Stroud.
“Everything he preaches, he damn sure practices,” said Tunsil. “He had the huddle since training camp.”
From OTAs to the Texans’ first playoff game in four years, CJ grabbed the reins of the franchise the moment he grabbed his draft cap. As a rookie, everything on the field came naturally. On the road, only one adjustment arose.
“Having your own room in a hotel,” laughs Stroud. “In college, you have a teammate to talk to. These dudes have kids and wives, they have 401ks and retirement plans. I was 21 years old!”
The youngest Texan on the roster, he was positioned as the offensive glue. CJ sought connection from all angles. He cites tight end Dalton Schultz as someone he leans on, whether navigating the highs and lows of an NFL season or getting game on which watch to invest in or where to buy real estate.
Akin to Tom Brady before him, CJ’s ability to endear himself to teammates on a human level is what makes his leadership stretch beyond screaming and stats. The franchise player becomes a winner not by being larger than life, but by being real.
“When me and No. 7 are around, we talk about ball, but we have those deep conversations,” Dell said. “We can call each other any time and be there for each other through anything. He felt for me and we connected.”
“I look at CJ as a real friend,” Tunsil said.
Down-to-earth ethos and out-of-this-world confidence helped Stroud win Rookie of the Year and the Texans take the AFC South. Heading into Year 2, CJ’s is among the betting favorites for MVP with Super Bowl expectations in sight.
The total package – and the perfect market in Houston – have his stock rising in the NFL and across the country.
Beyond Ball
In one NFL season, CJ Stroud altered all measurables that matter when drafting a franchise quarterback.
And that was just the beginning.
Entering his second season, CJ’s earning a rookie rate that keeps his club in real contention. Just the same, he’s four years away from an eventual extension that could come close to $400 million, almost twice that of Harden’s Houston Rockets deal that in some senses saved CJ’s life.
“If he plays the game to the best of his ability? This kid could be worth half a billion dollars,” Bun B said.
True to his mission of making money and change by playing the game he loves, CJ has his eyes on the prize.
“I want to create generational wealth. I want to own a team one day. I want to have ownership in restaurants, tech companies, start-ups.”
– CJ Stroud
So far, so good.
CJ claims deals in consumer categories from BMW to Cheetos, Visa to Verizon. He owns equity in two different beverage brands and is part owner of a pickleball team. In the coming months, he’ll have a food product in grocery stores and a global sportswear giant lacing his cleats. His profile will only rise as the season starts.
“He’s got a nice balance of equity companies that might not be household names but he has good value and control,” Burney noted. “On the flip side, he’s got commercial campaigns like Lowe’s and DraftKings.”
Moving the same in marketing as he does on the field, trusting his team while taking the lead provides pace and balance and ensures his business matches his vision.
“Nothing is going past me without knowing,” said Stroud.
This involvement in endorsements is just the same in philanthropy. This summer, CJ held camps in Asia, Africa, and Houston, teaching young boys and girls how to pass the pigskin. He’s also invested his time in making change close to home. In California, CJ met with government officials to discuss changing laws regarding incarcerated individuals and their proximity to family.
“To be at the closest prison possible to their kids, that’s something I wish I had as a child,” said Stroud. “To not drive seven hours to see my father.”
As a young man finding his way in life and football, Stroud would sometimes drive an entire day in hopes of talking to his dad only to be denied access. As an NFL quarterback in a position of power, he’s leveraging his leadership to make sure kids in similar situations can still see loved ones who are locked away. And his efforts don’t go unnoticed.
“If we had CJs in every sport, things would be very different,” Rooks said.
“With CJ, he’s God-oriented in everything he does,” said Dell. “He leads by example. He’s not just saying it.”
“CJ’s what … 22? He has the traits of a veteran,” Tunsil said. “It’s crazy. I always tell him, ‘Bro, you got it.’”
It is exactly what CJ Stroud has and what he embodies right now.
Hardened by the challenges of his youth but fortified by faith, the late bloomer from California is now the man in Houston. His past pain fuels him while his recent accolades catapult his confidence. He’s the leader of a $5.5 billion franchise with a city on his back and the world watching.
“Being the quarterback? You’re one of the CEOs of the team,” said Stroud. “But honestly? Everyone is always looking at you.”
Uncannily authentic and almost too good to be true, CJ Stroud not only has it — he wants more.
“I was really hungry,” said Stroud. “And I’m still hungry to this day.”
Production Credits:
Creative Director – Michelle Lukianovich
Producer – Audrey Blackmore
Senior Producer – Craig Newton
Writer – Ian Stonebrook
Story Editor – Griffin Adams
Photographer – Alex Subers
Photo Assistant – Em Johnson
Production Company with Additional Production Support – No Red Tape Media
Head of Video – Andrea Masenda
Head of Social – Yoni Mernick
Head of Editorial Operations – Bernadette Doykos
Talent Relations – Lorenzo McCloud
Head of Audience Development – Jonathan Wiener
VP, General Manager – Nate Loucks
CMO – Sarah Flynn
Co-Founders – Rich Kleiman & Kevin Durant
