Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua set records for the most receptions (105) and receiving yards (1,486) ever by a rookie in a season, but those historic numbers weren’t enough to earn him Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud took home the award at the NFL Honors show on Thursday night after a strong first season as the No. 2 overall pick. The Associated Press’ award was voted on by a panel of 50 journalists who cover the NFL.
Stroud undoubtedly put together a strong season, throwing for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns with only five interceptions. He completed 63.9% of his passes and led the Texans to a 9-6 record in the 15 games he played, helping them reach the playoffs for the first time since the 2019 season.
Stroud led the NFL with an average of 273.9 passing yards per game and also had the lowest interception rate (1.0%) of any quarterback.
.@CJ7STROUD is the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year! #NFLHonors pic.twitter.com/WSdK8zPZqF
— NFL (@NFL) February 9, 2024
As impressive as Stroud’s season was, it’s hard to believe that Nacua didn’t do enough to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. Garrett Wilson won it last year with 1,103 yards, and Ja’Marr Chase won it the year prior with 1,455 yards. It just so happens that Nacua accomplished all that he did in the same season that Stroud put together a remarkably impressive rookie year.
