C.J. Stroud Injured After Controversial Hit in Broncos Victory

Houston, Texas — The Houston Texans lost more than a game during their Week 9 matchup against the Denver Broncos, falling 18-15 on a last-second field goal. Star quarterback C.J. Stroud exited the game early due to a concussion after a controversial hit by Broncos cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine.

Stroud was injured in the second quarter while attempting a feet-first slide during a QB scramble. As he slid to the ground, Abrams-Draine lowered his left shoulder and collided with Stroud, whose head struck the turf. Initially, referees flagged Abrams-Draine for unnecessary roughness, but the call was overturned upon review.

Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans expressed frustration with the officiating, stating, “He slid and the guy came up and hit him. As I see it, it’s unnecessary roughness when you hit the quarterback when he’s sliding and giving himself up.” Ryans emphasized that losing a starting quarterback is always tough for the team.

Stroud has been ruled out for the Texans’ upcoming Week 10 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars due to the concussion. Despite the severity of the incident, Abrams-Draine was not fined by the NFL for the hit. In fact, he was not included in the league’s list of fines from Week 9.

While no players from the Broncos faced punishment for the controversial hit, two Texans players received fines. Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was fined $17,389 for unnecessary roughness against a defenseless player, while wide receiver Xavier Hutchinson was fined $5,949 for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The Broncos’ victory moved their record to 7-2, propelled by the absence of Stroud, which may have influenced the outcome. Though Abrams-Draine’s hit resulted in no penalty and no immediate consequences, it sparked discussions about player safety and officiating inconsistencies in the league.