HOUSTON, Texas — Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos after suffering a concussion following a big hit in the second quarter.
Stroud dropped back on a third-and-8 with 13:51 remaining in the first half and scanned the field before scrambling. He slid short of the first down mark, but Broncos cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine lunged into Stroud’s chest, which caused the quarterback’s head to smack the ground.
Stroud stayed down on the field, moving gingerly, before he eventually got up and walked off the field on his own power. He gave a thumbs up to the crowd before he entered the medical blue tent and then went to the locker room.
Abrams-Draine was initially flagged for unnecessary roughness. But the play was reviewed and the call was overturned when officials said he didn’t make contact with Stroud’s head or neck.
Backup quarterback Davis Mills entered the game in place of Stroud.
Before exiting the game, Stroud was 6-for-10 for 79 yards and led the Texans into field goal range on two drives.
This is Stroud’s second concussion, with him suffering the first against the New York Jets in December 2023. That one occurred in a similar fashion, as the back of Stroud’s helmet smacked the turf when he was driven to the ground by defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.
The Associated Press and ESPN contributed to this report.
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