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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Phil Harrison

C.J. Stroud breaks single-game rookie passing yards record in miracle win over Tampa Bay

If the legend of C.J. Stroud wasn’t forming in earnest prior to Sunday, it just was accelerated in a big way. The Houston Texans’ quarterback broke the single-game rooking passing yards record, culminating in a 70-yard 40-second drive in the final minute to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 39-37.

Stroud, the former Ohio State star who was the No.2 pick in the 2023 NFL draft, looked poised all day. He completed 30-of-42 attempts for 470 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions. The 470 yards are the most by a rookie quarterback in NFL history.

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Let that sink in.

It was a wild game in which Stroud found another former Buckeye, receiver Noah Brown, for 157 yards but appeared to be in a losing result for the Texans.

Baker Mayfield led the Bucs to what looked like a game-winning touchdown pass with just 46 seconds left.

That’s when Stroud stepped in the telephone booth and put the cape on. He engineered a 70-yard drive by completing six passes, many of them in tight windows after making the right reads under pressure. It was all capped with a 15-yard touchdown pass to Tank Dell with 6 seconds left to leave everyone speechless.

Let the legend continue to grow. It’s simply unbelievable for a rookie to be doing what Stroud is doing.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.

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