NBC featured a clip of winning Houston Texans’ quarterback CJ Stroud after his record-setting performance in the team’s 45-14 victory over the Cleveland Browns in the first round of the NFL playoffs — but they left out the beginning of his statement featuring Jesus Christ.
Stroud, who is a rookie, decimated the Browns’ #1 defense in his performance, with a 76.1% completion rate, 276 passing yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. At the age of 22, he became the youngest quarterback to ever win an NFL playoff game.
“CJ, your first playoff game and your first NFL season and a record setting performance for you. What does this moment mean?” NBC Sports sideline reporter Kathryn Tappen asked.
“First and foremost, I just want to give all glory and praise to my Lord, Jesus Christ,” Stroud began, adding, “I mean, it’s been amazing, being in this city as short as I’ve been, but the love that I’ve got; I really just be doing it for Houston, man. People back home, I’m blessed enough to be in the position I am and blessed enough to be playing at a high level right now and we got to just keep it going.”
But NBC elided the statement about Jesus Christ in its clip, as follows:
CJ Stroud has a lot of love for his city ❤️ pic.twitter.com/fZ4zFrcqWt
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) January 14, 2024
Here’s the full statement:
Nobody believed in CJ Stroud at the beginning of the season.
He just won the first round of playoffs.
“Give all glory and praise to my Lord Jesus Christ. I mean it’s been amazing being in the city for a short as I’ve been with the love of God.”
pic.twitter.com/Mved2SaN7h— Graham Allen (@GrahamAllen_1) January 14, 2024
An 11-year-old Houston Texans superfan named Joseph Rodriguez had a “game day helmet” stolen from his brother’s car. His mother went to the team store to buy a replica and met Stroud, who happened to be there. She told him the story, prompting him to take a photo with her and tell her “I’m sorry it happened to you.” Then he told the store clerk, “Don’t let her buy the helmet. I’m going to buy it for him.”