C.J. Stroud shows off his leadership by standing up for Brock Purdy

The Houston Texans are in good standing right now. It's partly thanks to their dynamic quarterback. Said quarterback spent his rookie year defying expectations meeting every challenge put in front of him head-on, and lifting the expectations of the club for the season and beyond.

His arrival not just in Houston but at the precious of an elite player has helped prove to others that he's the team's leader on the field. After the season he had, how can anyone deny that this is his team? He's proven that it's his team, but he's doing more than just that, stepping up and defending his fellow quarterbacks as well, proving that while Patrick Mahomes is the man of the moment, the future and the league may be Stroud's.

During the Super Bowl media scrum, Stroud stepped up and spoke out on the criticism that San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy was facing before he made his Super Bowl debut, proving that he's not just looking to lead the Texans as a team but the NFL as a whole.

Speaking to the media (via Sports Illustrated), Purdy went after those who criticized Purdy, saying;

“I don’t like how people do Purdy I think Purdy’s a good player, I think Purdy’s a hell of a player. I was watching a video (of Purdy highlights) today on the bus... Most of them were great throws... There’s nothing basic about being an NFL quarterback, nothing. Let’s get one thing clear: there’s nothing easy. I don’t care if somebody seems wide open.


...I don't think you can play at a high level like he is, and just be average That just doesn't happen. Do I think he's on a great team? Heck yeah... he has a team full of dogs. That team should be in the Super Bowl... You've got to be somebody that's going to lead the locker room. There are a lot of things that people don't see that I know that I know he's in there doing because they're winning football games. "

You don't hear a lot about players standing up for other players, so to hear Stroud voice his support about a player who he'll likely never be teammates with, and may one day have to compete against for a Super Bowl title, it's telling. It shows us that Stroud is someone who can lead by example and will recognize those around him who are talented. He seems comfortable with who he is and when you have a player like that, he's capable of ignoring the drama that takes down so many other talented human beings.

Stroud seems to be well adjusted, and aware of what makes a player good, and when you have someone who's smart and ignores the noise, that's the kind of guy that can lead you to the next level.