Houston Texans Hall of Fame wide receiver Ande Johnson sparked controversy internally with the organization after commenting on Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud's body language during an appearance on the "LGND Talk" podcast by host Kendrick Perkins earlier this week.
When asked for comment, Stroud, who prepares for Week 2's matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals
, declined to comment further or offer a rebuttal."I respect Dre as a person; I appreciate his critiques," Stroud said Wednesday. "But I'm focused on this week, going 1-0 this week [against the Bengals]. I respect Dre, and if that conversation needs to be had, it'll be had."
During the interview, Johnson, the Texans' lone Hall of Famer, mentioned how Stroud's demeanor in the postseason
was unsettling, stating that it's a bad look internally when the tone doesn't exude confidence even in times of struggle.
"Me being a former player, your quarterback having that kind of body language is bad because other guys look at you as the quarterback, so when they see you feeling a certain way or your body language is a certain way, it kind of trickles down to the team," Johnson told Perkins. "I’d say that’s the biggest thing that bothers me when I watch the team play.”
This has been a talking point around the organization in the past, with Stroud even being vocal about his attitude, mostly wanting to appear confident rather than mopey. In Sunday's 36-31 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Stroud carried himself with poise, even after the strip-sack fumble that led to the game-sealing turnover.
C.J. Stroud on #Texans HOF WR Andre Johnson's recent podcast comments about Stroud’s body language:
— DJ Bien-Aime | NASM CPT (@Djbienaime) September 16, 2026
"I respect Dre as a person, I appreciate his critiques. But I'm focused on this week, going 1-0 this week. I respect Dre, and if that conversation needs to be had, it'll be had."
Even Johnson complimented Stroud for his attitude during the loss.
"You saw, he got up, hit his chest and the crowd went crazy because you’re seeing a different side of C.J. that you’ve never seen because you’ve never really seen that from him except maybe since his rookie year." Johnson said.
"It’s sitting right there in front of us and we all see it. It’s up to him to go out there and make those plays.”
Stroud, who did not receive a contract extension this offseason and will play throughout the year without a deal, threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns, while picking up another 15 yards on the ground.
Around the building, players and coaches only praised Stroud for his maturity entering what remains a pivotal year for his future with the franchise. Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said he had not heard his former teammate's comments, but when asked for a statement, he told reporters to 'talk to Andre about it.'
As for All-Pro defensive end Will Anderson Jr., he once again mentioned that teammates had to vote for team captains and that Stroud was given the 'C' for a reason.
C.J. Stroud on Andre Johnson's recent podcast comments about his past body language:
— Jonathan M Alexander (@jonmalexander) September 16, 2026
"I respect Dre as a person, I appreciate his critiques. But I'm focused on this week, going 1-0 this week. But I respect Dre, and if that conversation needs to be had, it'll be had."
"If something doesn't go right, I think he does a good job of bringing everybody back together and centering everybody," Anderson said. "We can't really focus on that. Cincinnati's up right now. C.J.'s in a good place. The offense is rolling. That's a positive for us. He's going to continue to keep doing great things and we're going to continue to keep this thing rolling."
Kickoff against the Bengals is scheduled for Noon.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Texans QB C.J. Stroud focused on Bengals' matchup, not Andre Johnson's comments
