WWE Hall of Famer Booker T and co-host Brad Gilmore delivered a critical assessment of Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud following the team’s playoff loss to the New England Patriots. Speaking on The Hall of Fame podcast, the duo analyzed Stroud’s performance, which included four interceptions in the first half.
“Is He The Guy?”
Booker T opened the discussion by expressing doubt regarding Stroud’s status as the franchise quarterback. “I’m beginning to wonder about this dude. Is he the guy?” Booker T asked. He referenced the old adage, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, can’t fool me.”
Booker T specifically questioned the decision-making that led to the turnovers. “Four interceptions in the first half. How you do that?” he asked. “You gotta have that dog in you when you’re playing that game… fight, scratch, claw, all the way to the end”.
Comparisons to James Harden
Brad Gilmore offered a sharp critique of the interceptions, describing them as “mindless” errors rather than forced errors by the defense. “Not that they were good throws and good targets, that the other defense was just they read… No. They were egregiously awful. They were terrible,” Gilmore stated.
Gilmore drew a comparison between Stroud’s performance and former Houston Rockets star James Harden, noting a disparity between regular season success and postseason struggles.
“One person’s name came up in my head when I was thinking about Houston sports in the playoffs… And that man was James Harden,” Gilmore said. “I was seeing a guy who was so composed and poised throughout the regular season… and then completely dismantles in this game against the Patriots”.
“Deer in the Headlights”
Booker T observed the body language of both Stroud and Head Coach DeMeco Ryans during the broadcast. He described Stroud as having a “deer in the headlights” look and noted that Ryans appeared uncomfortable in the spotlight.
“I don’t know if you saw when he was walking into the stadium… He actually looked like one of the players, and he was like, he almost was scared to look at the camera, you know, like, eyes forward, eyes forward,” Booker T said regarding Ryans.
Maturity and “Top 5” Claims
The conversation also touched on Stroud’s previous comments ranking himself among the top five quarterbacks in the league. Gilmore argued that such claims require a higher standard of play.
“If you’re in the top five of the NFL, you can’t throw four picks in a playoff game,” Gilmore asserted. He also criticized Stroud’s reaction to heckling fans in a previous game against Pittsburgh, where Stroud was seen taunting fans despite a poor performance.
“That’s not the mentality you need to have after the game. Your head should not be held that high, because your defense won you the football game,” Gilmore said.
Booker T attributed some of the behavior to Stroud’s age but emphasized the missed opportunity. “This is still a kid… I don’t think he understood the magnitude of, you know, where we were,” Booker T concluded.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit The Hall of Fame with Booker T & Brad Gilmore with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
