C.J. Stroud threw for 347 yards Sunday and still left without his first win of the season. Four weeks into the schedule, the Houston Texans are running short on consolation.
Russell Wilson offered something more personal. The Super Bowl champion remembers feeling a season slipping away, and he wants Stroud to resist letting Houston’s record shake his confidence.
Russell Wilson Urges C.J. Stroud To Stay the Course
In a clip shared by “NFL on CBS,” Wilson expressed confidence that Houston has enough defensive talent to recover. His advice to its quarterback was straightforward.
“Here’s the thing, C.J. Stroud, just stay the course. Stay the course,” Wilson said.
Wilson then recalled the season following the Seattle Seahawks’ Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots. “We were 2-4, and it felt like the world was crashing down,” he said.
That was Seattle’s 2015 season. The Seahawks recovered to finish 10–6 and reach the playoffs, giving Wilson firsthand experience with keeping a struggling team together through an ugly opening stretch.
Wilson described leaning on his faith and reminding himself how quickly public opinion changes.
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“I wrote on the top of my paper, they’ll love you one day, and they’ll hate you the next,” Wilson recalled.
He encouraged Stroud to build on his current play and bring his teammates along.
“If you can take those guys to the next level, that’s how the Houston Texans get there. And it’s in you. You’ve done it before,” Wilson said.
.@DangeRussWilson gives advice to C.J. Stroud and the Texans after starting 0-4 https://t.co/5wqTpVLm0L
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 6, 2026
Seattle’s turnaround gives Wilson’s encouragement some substance. Houston’s climb starts from a deeper hole, though, with four games gone and no victories banked.
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Stroud’s Production Hasn’t Delivered Houston a Win
Sunday’s 34–30 loss to the Dallas Cowboys illustrated the frustration. Stroud completed 21 of 31 passes for 347 yards and two touchdowns, yet Houston fell to 0–4 for the first time since 2020.
Through Week 4, Stroud ranks 12th in PFN’s QB Impact rankings with a 78.4 grade. He has thrown for 1,141 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions across those four games.
Wilson’s confidence in the defense comes with work still to be done. Houston ranks 25th in PFN’s Defense Impact metric with a 71.7 grade after Week 4. The group has yet to provide the dependable foundation Wilson believes can help rescue the season.
Meanwhile, the upcoming Texans-Titans matchup has already become a target for jokes, another reminder of how quickly a disappointing start changes the conversation around a team.
Stroud has continued trying to rally the locker room. After the Dallas loss, teammates described a message built around sticking together, accepting responsibility, and believing the season could still turn.
That lines up with Wilson’s advice. Stroud has passing numbers he can build on and teammates who still need his leadership. Getting that first win would finally give his encouragement something tangible to stand on.
