Oct 1, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) celebrates after a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports Oct 1, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) celebrates after a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

It’s not often that a rookie quarterback performs so well in his debut season that it makes veteran star players want to sign long-term deals to play alongside him, but that’s exactly what’s happening for C.J. Stroud with the Houston Texans.

This week, veteran tight end Dalton Schultz signed a long-term deal with the Houston Texans. And after signing his new deal, he made it very clear that C.J. Stroud was a big reason why he decided to stay in Houston

“To have a guy come in like that, step in, take the reins and hit the ground running, C.J.’s quickly cemented himself as one of the top quarterbacks in the league.” Schultz said during a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “Talking to C.J., the amount of belief and trust he has in himself, the way he carries himself, he does special things. That was a big part of me wanting to come back. I wanted to surround myself with guys like that. Guys that galvanize a football team, and I think he absolutely does that. It’s a great time to be a Texan and I’m super excited that I’m back.”

Stroud immediately emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the entire league as a rookie, but Schultz said that the most exciting thing about Stroud is that he keeps striving to get even better.

“When you see a quarterback that’s able to make every single throw again and again and again, and stay humble about it and realize he’s not quite there,” Schultz said. “Through all the success he was having, he kept going back to, ‘How can I get better, though?’”

It’s certainly an exciting time in Houston, and the players can feel it too.

[Pro Football Talk]