Quarterbacks coach Jerrod Johnson exits suddenly. This abrupt departure impacts C.J. Stroud's development as the Texans gear up for a crucial 2026 season.
The Houston Texans are in the midst of a very important offseason in 2026 as the organization is trying to put the right pieces in place to go on an even deeper playoff run in 2026. The franchise has seen a ton of success over the last three seasons, but Houston has been eliminated in the Divisional round of the postseason in three consecutive years.
Houston has retained most of its coaching staff, but news broke on Thursday that Quarterbacks Coach Jerrod Johnson would be leaving the franchise. It was reportedly a mutual parting of ways, but it is a bit bizarre that a mutual separation would occur this long after the prior season ended.
It is unclear what led the two sides to separate, but the move directly affects quarterback C.J. Stroud. The 2026 season is going to be a huge year for Stroud as the quarterback has taken several steps back since his sensational rookie year in 2023. His regression has been evident, and improved quarterback play is a necessity for Houston moving forward.
Houston will use a senior offensive assistant to coach Stroud moving forward, while Johnson's future is still up in the air. It has been reported that the coach has multiple options to consider, and he will likely be on a different staff in 2026.
Johnson interviewed for several positions with different organizations earlier in the 2026 offseason, but nothing materialized from those interviews. It will be interesting to see where he ends up and what role he takes on with another franchise. He has been Stroud's quarterback coach throughout the young signal-caller's entire NFL career, and this is a major shakeup for the quarterback.
Based on the reporting, it doesn't seem like Houston will be going out of its way to hire a new quarterback coach. Senior Offensive Assistant Jerry Schlupinski will partially fill the role.
It is possible that the organization believed Johnson had done all he could with Stroud and that it was time to move in a different direction. This could be beneficial for the offense, along with some proper personnel moves. Building up the offensive line will be a focus, as will bringing in more weapons on offense.
The timing of this change is weird, and something must have gone on behind the scenes. Nick Caserio and other decision makers have not made any comments about the situation, but it is something to keep an eye on moving forward throughout the 2026 offseason.