PFWA names Texans QB C.J. Stroud Rookie of the Year
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud, who led the NFL in passing yards per game and touchdown to interception ratio, is the 2023 Rookie of the Year and the Offensive Rookie of the Year, chosen in voting conducted by the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA).
Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr., who led NFL rookies in quarterback pressures, is the 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Stroud, the second overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, started 15 games for the Texans and completed 319 of 499 passes for 4,108 yards, 23 touchdowns, five interceptions and a passer rating of 100.8. His 273.9 passing yards per game led the NFL, as well as his 4.6 touchdown-to-interception ratio (23 TD/5 INT). Stroud joined Tom Brady (2007) and Joe Montana (1989) as the only quarterbacks through the last 50 seasons to lead the NFL in both passing yards per game and TD-INT ratio.
Stroud’s 4,108 season passing yards is the third-most by a rookie in NFL history, his 66 completions of 20-plus yards were third in the league, and he led all rookie QBs in passing yards, completions, passer rating and passing touchdowns. Stroud began his NFL career with 192 consecutive pass attempts without an interception, the most to start a career in league history. In Week 9 (November 5) against Tampa Bay, Stroud completed 30 of 42 passes for 470 yards, five TDs and a passer rating of 147.8 in a 39-37 victory. The 470 passing yards set the NFL record for a rookie quarterback, and the five TDs tied the NFL rookie single-game mark. He was the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for September, the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 9, and both the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month and the AFC Offensive Player of the Month for November.
Stroud is the first Texans player selected as the PFWA’s Rookie of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Anderson, the third overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Alabama, played in 15 games with 13 starts and had 29 tackles (16 solo), seven sacks, 67 pressures, 22 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for loss. He also added a blocked field goal on special teams. His seven sacks were fourth among NFL rookies and set a franchise rookie record. In Week 13 (December 3) against Denver, he posted five total tackles (three solo), two sacks, four QB hits, two tackles for loss and one pass defensed in a 22-17 victory over the Broncos. In his first NFL game at Baltimore in Week 1 (September 10), he had six total tackles (four solo), a sack, a tackle for loss and two quarterback hits. Anderson also had a pair of sacks in Week 17 (December 31) against Tennessee, and a six-tackle game in Week 5 (October 8) at Atlanta.
Anderson is the fourth Texans player to be selected Defensive Rookie of the Year by the PFWA, joining CB Dunta Robinson (2004), LB DeMeco Ryans (2006) and LB Brian Cushing (2009).
The Los Angeles Rams had four All-Rookie selections, while the Detroit Lions had three honorees. In all, 17 clubs are represented among the 27 players honored.
The All-Rookie team offense is made up of Stroud at quarterback, the Detroit Lions’ Jahmyr Gibbs and Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson at running back, the Minnesota Vikings’ Jordan Addison and the Los Angeles Rams’ Puka Nacua at wide receiver, Detroit’s Sam LaPorta at tight end, the New York Jets’ Joe Tippmann at center, the Rams’ Steve Avila and the Buffalo Bills’ O’Cyrus Torrance at guard and the Cleveland Browns’ Dawand Jones and the Chicago Bears’ Darnell Wright at tackle.
The All-Rookie defense is comprised of defensive linemen Anderson, Jalen Carter (Philadelphia Eagles), Tuli Tuipulotu (Los Angeles Chargers) and the Rams’ Kobie Turner, linebackers Jack Campbell (Detroit), Ivan Pace Jr. (Minnesota) and the Rams’ Byron Young, cornerbacks Joey Porter Jr. (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Devon Witherspoon (Seattle Seahawks) and safeties Jordan Battle (Cincinnati Bengals) and Ji’Ayir Brown (San Francisco 49ers).
49ers placekicker Jake Moody, New England Patriots punter Bryce Baringer, Denver kickoff returner Marvin Mims Jr., Chargers punt returner Derius Davis and Seattle special teamer Jerrick Reed II are the All-Rookie special teams group.
The PFWA has honored an All-Rookie team every season since 1974. Only players who are in their first season of pro football are designated as rookies by the NFL and are eligible for PFWA rookie awards. Players designated as NFL first-year players who have been active in another pro football league or who have NFL experience, including preseason training camp in a previous season, are not eligible for All-Rookie awards.
2023 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
2023 OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
2023 DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: DE Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans
2023 PFWA ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Offense
QB – C.J. Stroud, Houston Texas
RB – Jahmyr Gibbs, Detroit Lions; Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons
WR – Jordan Addison, Minnesota Vikings; Puka Nacua, Los Angeles Rams
TE – Sam LaPorta, Detroit Lions
C – Joe Tippmann, New York Jets
G – Steve Avila, Los Angeles Rams; O’Cyrus Torrence, Buffalo Bills
T – Dawand Jones, Cleveland Browns; Darnell Wright, Chicago Bears
Defense
DL – Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans; Jalen Carter, Philadelphia Eagles; Tuli Tuipulotu, Los Angeles Chargers; Kobie Turner, Los Angeles Rams
LB – Jack Campbell, Detroit Lions; Ivan Pace Jr., Minnesota Vikings; Byron Young, Los Angeles Rams
CB – Joey Porter Jr., Pittsburgh Steelers; Devon Witherspoon, Seattle Seahawks
S – Jordan Battle, Cincinnati Bengals; Ji’Ayir Brown, San Francisco 49ers
Special Teams
PK – Jake Moody, San Francisco 49ers
P – Bryce Baringer, New England Patriots
KR – Marvin Mims Jr., Denver Broncos
PR – Derius Davis, Los Angeles Chargers
ST – Jerrick Reed II, Seattle Seahawks
PFWA NFL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: 1966 – MLB Tommy Nobis, Atlanta Falcons; 1967-74 – no selections; 1975 – RB Mike Thomas, Washington Redskins; 1976 – WR Sammy White, Minnesota Vikings; 1977 – RB Tony Dorsett, Dallas Cowboys; 1978 – RB Earl Campbell, Houston Oilers; 1979 – RB Ottis Anderson, St. Louis Cardinals; 1980 – RB Billy Sims, Detroit Lions; 1981 – RB George Rogers, New Orleans Saints; 1982 – RB Marcus Allen, Los Angeles Raiders; 1983 – RB Eric Dickerson, Los Angeles Rams; 1984 – WR/KR Louis Lipps, Pittsburgh Steelers; 1985 – WR Eddie Brown, Cincinnati Bengals; 1986 – RB Rueben Mayes, New Orleans Saints; 1987 – ILB Shane Conlan, Buffalo Bills; 1988 – RB John Stephens, New England Patriots; 1989 — RB Barry Sanders, Detroit Lions; 1990 – S Mark Carrier, Chicago Bears; 1991 – OLB Mike Croel, Denver Broncos; 1992–2012 – no selections; 2013 – RB Eddie Lacy, Green Bay Packers; 2014 – WR Odell Beckham, Jr., New York Giants; 2015 – RB Todd Gurley, St. Louis Rams; 2016 – RB Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys; 2017 – RB Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs; 2018 – QB Baker Mayfield, Cleveland Browns; 2019 – DE Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers; 2020 – QB Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers; 2021 – LB Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys; 2022 – CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, New York Jets; 2023 – QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans.
PFWA NFL OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: 1992 — PK Jason Hanson, Detroit Lions; 1993 — RB Jerome Bettis, Los Angeles Rams; 1994 — RB Marshall Faulk, Indianapolis Colts; 1995 — RB Curtis Martin, New England Patriots; 1996 — RB Eddie George, Houston Oilers; 1997 — RB Warrick Dunn, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 1998 — WR Randy Moss, Minnesota Vikings; 1999 — RB Edgerrin James, Indianapolis Colts; 2000 — RB Mike Anderson, Denver Broncos; 2001 — RB Anthony Thomas, Chicago Bears; 2002 — RB Clinton Portis, Denver Broncos; 2003 — WR Anquan Boldin, Arizona Cardinals; 2004 — QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers; 2005 — RB Cadillac Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; 2006 — QB Vince Young, Tennessee Titans; 2007 — RB Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings; 2008 — QB Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons; 2009 — WR Percy Harvin, Minnesota Vikings; 2010 — QB Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams; 2011 — QB Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers; 2012 — QB Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins; 2013 — WR Keenan Allen, San Diego Chargers; 2014 — WR Odell Beckham Jr., New York Giants; 2015 — RB Todd Gurley, St. Louis Rams; 2016 — RB Ezekiel Elliott, Dallas Cowboys; 2017 — RB Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs & RB Alvin Kamara, New Orleans Saints; 2018 — RB Saquon Barkley, New York Giants; 2019 — RB Josh Jacobs, Oakland Raiders; 2020 – QB Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers; 2021 – WR Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati Bengals; 2022 – WR Garrett Wilson, New York Jets; 2023 – QB C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans.
PFWA NFL DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: 1992 — CB/PR Dale Carter, Kansas City Chiefs; 1993 — DT Dana Stubblefield, San Francisco 49ers; 1994 — DT Tim Bowens, Miami Dolphins; 1995 — DE Hugh Douglas, New York Jets; 1996 — DE Simeon Rice, Arizona Cardinals; 1997 — LB Peter Boulware, Baltimore Ravens; 1998 — CB Charles Woodson, Oakland Raiders; 1999 — DE Jevon Kearse, Tennessee Titans; 2000 — LB Brian Urlacher, Chicago Bears; 2001 — LB Kendrell Bell, Pittsburgh Steelers; 2002 — DE Julius Peppers, Carolina Panthers; 2003 — LB Terrell Suggs, Baltimore Ravens; 2004 — CB Dunta Robinson, Houston Texans; 2005 — LB Shawne Merriman, San Diego Chargers; 2006 — LB DeMeco Ryans, Houston Texans; 2007 — LB Patrick Willis, San Francisco 49ers; 2008 — LB Jerod Mayo, New England Patriots; 2009 — LB Brian Cushing, Houston Texans; 2010 — DT Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions; 2011 — OLB Aldon Smith, San Francisco 49ers; 2012 — LB Luke Kuechly, Carolina Panthers; 2013 — LB Kiko Alonso, Buffalo Bills; 2014 — DT Aaron Donald, St. Louis Rams; 2015 — CB Marcus Peters, Kansas City Chiefs; 2016 — DE Joey Bosa, San Diego Chargers; 2017 — CB Marshon Lattimore, New Orleans Saints; 2018 — LB Darius Leonard, Indianapolis Colts; 2019 — DE Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers; 2020 — DE Chase Young, Washington Football Team; 2021 – LB Micah Parsons, Dallas Cowboys; 2022 – CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, New York Jets; 2023 – DE Will Anderson Jr., Houston Texans.
ABOUT THE PFWA: In its 60th season in 2023, the Professional Football Writers of America (PFWA) is the official voice of pro football writers, promoting and fighting for access to NFL personnel to best serve the public. The PFWA is made up of accredited writers who cover the NFL