C.J. Stroud has always studied quarterbacks, but there’s one that sits above the rest in his power rankings of current stars.
Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen are all stars who have transcended the game over the last decade, but they’re not the top name for Stroud.
It’s Los Angeles gunslinger Matthew Stafford. He’s been at the top of Stroud’s list to work out with whenever he returned to California this offseason.
That didn’t happen, so Stafford paid Stroud a visit, instead.
With the Los Angeles Rams taking on the Houston Texans in Saturday’s preseason finale, the two sides elected to have a joint practice Thursday afternoon. Stroud and Stafford led their offenses to multiple scoring drives while going back and forth on highlight throws.
During the downtime, Stroud made sure to soak in as much information as possible from the Super Bowl champion and former No. 1 overall pick.
“I asked him a lot of questions. I tried to just learn, and he was really honest with me and wasn’t mean, which I appreciate so I am definitely a huge fan of his,” Stroud said following practice. “[I’m] definitely one of my favorite quarterbacks of all time. I feel like sharing a field with him was dope.”
Stroud mentioned on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast he thought Stafford was not only one of the top current quarterbacks, but also one of the best all-time. He compared Stafford’s game to Tom Brady’s, though without the national recognition or accolades.
CJ Stroud 🤝 Matt Stafford pic.twitter.com/osRwUuNOgp
— Nick Schwager (@NickSchwagerNFL) August 22, 2024
One thing Stroud loves about Stafford’s preparation is his toughness. He pointed to the game in 2009 where Stafford separated his shoulder but stayed in the game to cap off the game-winning drive.
“I respect that because it is not easy,” Stroud said. “Just how he manipulates guys with his eyes, his drops, his arm angles. I have been a fan of Matthew Stafford for a long time.”
While Stroud has been a fan of Stafford’s style since he was playing little league, Thursday was the first real moment the 16-year veteran saw the future AFC standout shine. Much like his young fan, Stafford was also complimentary of Stroud’s game, recognizing the potential Houston has in its franchise quarterback.
It was cool to hear Matthew Stafford talk about his admiration for CJ Stroud pic.twitter.com/h1A1zLItm2
— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) August 22, 2024
“I’m a huge fan of watching him play,” Stafford said. “[He] throws the ball with ease, plays with like a really calm aggression.
“He plays at a really high level, especially for a young kid. They have a lot of talent around him which is a lot of fun to watch and he does a great job of getting those guys the ball.”
