C.J. Stroud caused a stir when he wore a Mariners hat as he arrived at NRG on Friday. But don't worry, Houston fans, he still loves Astros

HOUSTON — C.J. Stroud threw a touchdown pass in limited work in his preseason debut to help the Houston Texans to a 20-3 win over the Carolina Panthers on Saturday.

The Texans are sitting at 1-1 in the preseason following C.J. Stroud's touchdown pass to Nico Collins in the first quarter.

The Houston Texans put together an impressive performance in their 2025 preseason debut at NRG Stadium, knocking off the Carolina Panthers 20-3.

Earlier in the week, the Houston Texans were hit with a heartbreaking injury to tight end Brevin Jordan, who went down with a season-ending knee injury during training camp practice, all less than a year removed from his previous ACL tear from his last campaign, limiting him to only two games played.

Here's everything C.J. Stroud said following the Houston Texans' 20-3 preseason win over the Carolina Panthers on Saturday at NRG Stadium.

Perhaps the Texans' biggest decision of this current era was backing out of a proposed trade with the Panthers and Bears in 2023.

Here's how you can tune in to Saturday's preseason contest as Bryce Young and the Panthers visit C.J. Stroud and the Texans at NRG Stadium . . . TV channel: WJZY-FOX (Charlotte) | Click here for a list of local affiliates Streaming: Panthers.com/Panthers app | NFL+ | Fubo

On Thursday, the two reunited when Stroud’s Houston Texans hosted Young’s Carolina Panthers for a joint practice ahead of Saturday’s preseason game. The quarterbacks were all business during drills, with both players making some nice throws during the two-hour workout. Afterward, they took some time to catch up and chat.

For the Houston Texans, there's a handful of names to pick from when it comes to impressive camp standouts, but one that's caught notable attention from both head coach DeMeco Ryans and quarterback C.