Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud gave a postgame interview with NBC following the team’s impressive 45-14 win against the Cleveland Browns. However, the interview has sparked controversy online as NBC is accused of editing out a portion of Stroud’s remarks.
During the interview, Stroud expressed gratitude to Jesus Christ for the incredible victory, which was the first playoff win since 2019 for the Texans. Despite his sincere acknowledgment of his faith, viewers criticized NBC for apparently editing out the quarterback’s mention of Jesus when the broadcasted version of the interview circulated on social media.
In the original interview, Stroud highlighted the significance of the moment, saying “First and foremost, I just want to give a glorious praise to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”
The altered release by NBC caught the eye of fans who noticed the exclusion of Stroud’s religious comments, beginning instead with him expressing his admiration for the city.
“I mean, it’s been amazing being in this city for as short as I’ve been, but the love that I’ve got. I’ve really just been doing it for Houston, man. People back home, I’m blessed enough to be in this position I am. Blessed enough to be playing at a high level right now. And we gotta just keep it going, but I’m super blessed.”
The situation has sparked debates about freedom of expression for athletes and are raising questions about how the media handles faith in sports coverage. Others are prompting calls for transparency in broadcasting practices to ensure that freedom of speech isn’t compromised.
Currently, NBC has not confirmed or denied any edits made to the posted interview.
Watch the two interviews in question side by side below: