Will the Houston Texans have C.J. Stroud back when they face off against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium?
Right now, that technically remains a mystery.
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans once again said that Stroud remains in concussion protocol after suffering a hit in Week 9 against the Denver Broncos. The Pro Bowl quarterback hasn’t played in the past three games, leading to Davis Mills taking over as QB1.
Ryans also said that defensive back Jalen Pitre had yet to clear protocol and would be later evalutated in the week.
The Texans are 3-0 with Mills as the starter and have moved to 6-5 overall in the AFC. Should the season end today, Houston still would be on the outside looking in on the playoffs, but a win against the Colts could open the door for a spot in the wild-card round as the No. 7 seed.
Man DeMeco legit looked irritated about CJ & Jalen Pitre still being in the concussion protocol pic.twitter.com/8mqBHFRBtJ
— Figgy Fig (@TheFiggyFig) November 24, 2025
Since taking over, Mills has thrown five touchdown passes to just one interception. He’s also led two comebacks against AFC South opponents, including a 29-point comeback in the fourth quarter against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
While some around the city of Houston have begun to wonder if Mills could provide a spark for the offense as the starter entering Week 13, Ryans stated that whenever he returns, Stroud would once again serve full-time as QB1.
“Whenever C.J. is back ready to roll, he is our starter — he will be our starter whenever he is back,” Ryans said Monday.
Stroud did practice in a limited fashion last week, so he only needs one more practice to clear the protocol by the outside medical staff. Houston will have three practices for Stroud to pass the test, which will likely be on Thursday since he would need to practice on Wednesday for the final time.
Kickoff from Indianapolis is scheduled for noon CT.
This article originally appeared on Texans Wire: Will C.J. Stroud play in Week 13? Texans provide update on Pro Bowl QB
