Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud can do it all.
He’s already NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and will participate in the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game this weekend. And on Thursday, Stroud competed in Travis Scott’s annual Cactus Jack Foundation’s HBCU Celebrity Softball Classic at Minute Maid Park in Houston.
Stroud showed off his batting prowess before the event and then went yard during the game.
Texans QB C.J. Stroud putting up numbers in the Home Run Derby pic.twitter.com/BVJ3k23axu
— Ari Alexander (@AriA1exander) February 16, 2024
“It’s for a good cause, I appreciate Trav having me out,” Stroud said, via KPRC 2. “It’s been a cool couple of hours. I played when I was growing up. I got some swings in. Just having fun, nothing too serious.”
Stroud also extrapolated on his “we all wanna play baseball” quote from this past November (Spoiler: It’s all about the guaranteed money in their contracts). He added that he wouldn’t try to do too much in the basketball game this weekend in Indianapolis – a relief to the Texans and fans alike, no doubt.
#HoustonTexans quarterback C.J. Stroud @CJ7STROUD at Travis Scott celebrity softball game @astros @MinuteMaidPark pic.twitter.com/k7JrAUQabm
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) February 16, 2024
Stroud wasn’t the only high-profile NFL players in attendance. Buffalo Bills wideout Stefon Diggs, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson, Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, former NFL running back Adrian Peterson, former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel and fellow Texans star Tank Dell were also there.
Dell’s appearance was especially encouraging he is just months removed from a season-ending leg injury. Dell was seen walking around and throwing the ball, seemingly a good sign from the recent update about his broken fibula surgery.
#Texans wide receiver Tank Dell at Travis Scott celebrity softball game at Minute Maid Park. Dell is making sound recovery from broken fibula, previous told @KPRC2 he is expecting to be back for organized team activities @Tankdell4 pic.twitter.com/knH8SX6OuC
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) February 16, 2024
This is the winter of Stroud, though, after he led the Texans to the AFC South title and then a wild card win in his first NFL season. There will undoubtably be loftier expectations for Houston in 2024, but for now Stroud and company are riding high in the offseason before the team begins to make more moves ahead of next year.