Houston Texans’ wide receiver Tank Dell suffered a horrific leg injury during a game against the Kansas City Chiefs, leading to a highly emotional response from his teammates, especially quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Dell was carted off the field after catching a touchdown pass in the second half. His leg appeared to bend unnaturally, and it was immediately apparent that he was in serious pain and agony.
Stroud was visibly shaken. The team’s signal-caller could be seen shedding tears as he watched his close friend and teammate being taken away for medical attention.
The injury occurred just minutes into the third quarter. Dell’s left leg was immobilized in a brace before he was transported to the hospital.
This incident marks another significant challenge for Dell, who also suffered a season-ending dislocated knee injury in his rookie year. The emotional impact on his Texans teammates was also evident.
Stroud Turns To His Faith
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud leaned on his faith after witnessing the devastating leg injury to his teammate and close friend.
Stroud, visibly emotional, spoke post-game about the power of prayer.
“All you can do is really pray. At the end of the day, God still gets the glory,” he told reporters.
“Always, no matter what happens to me, I always know that I’m even up here because of the grace of Jesus and the grace of who He is in my life and Tank’s life. For anything how it goes, left or right or up or down, I always have to praise my Lord and Savior.”
Stroud remarked that it was difficult to fight through the emotions of the moment, but he soldiered on.
“It’s not easy to move on and just keep playing, but I tried to do as best as I could,” he said.
This incident has not only been a test of faith for Stroud but also a moment of unity and support for the team as they rallied around their fallen colleague.
Stroud, A Strong Advocate For God And Prayer
During a post-game press conference as a rookie, after becoming the youngest quarterback to win an NFL postseason game, Stroud offered praise for God and insisted the Almighty is “at the forefront” of his mind as he continues to achieve new heights in the league.
He was involved in what appeared to be an act of censorship last season, involving NBC blatantly cutting a reference to Jesus in post-game comments.
Sideline reporter Melissa Stark said after the rookie helped lead the Texans to a 45-14 victory over the Cleveland Browns: “Your first NFL season and a record-setting performance for you. What does this moment mean?”
Stroud immediately replies, “First of all, I just want to give all glory and praise to my lord and savior, Jesus Christ.”
A “Sunday Night Football on NBC” clip shared to X eliminated that sentence altogether and viewers could see a clear jump cut in the video they posted.
CJ Stroud has a lot of love for his city ❤️ pic.twitter.com/fZ4zFrcqWt
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) January 14, 2024
As you might expect, the young man, who is very open about his faith, took the high road and again referenced Jesus as his guide.
“I love everybody. Christ has called us to love one another and just shine a light,” Stroud told Fox News. “That comes from Him.”
“I really just really want to show that love and just really want people to experience my experience with finding Christ for you all and having that relationship with Him.”
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