After the Houston Texans‘ Week 8 divisional win over the Indianapolis Colts in the 2024 NFL season, bad news came to light. It was the injury of veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs, who will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL in one of his knees. The absence of a key teammate caused quarterback CJ Stroud to react.
Diggs‘ contribution to the Texans’ offense was crucial. At this point in the season, Stroud was combining well with the receiver and the Houston franchise has enjoyed it to the point where they sit in first place in the AFC South with a 6-2 record.
“I feel sorry for him and I pray for him. I can’t find many words for it. I just hope and try to come to terms with what happened but it’s hard. I try to think positive but there’s not a lot of positive thoughts and I really feel sorry for him. He worked extremely hard. I think he’s had one of the best times he’s ever had on a team,” was the heartfelt message CJ Stroud sent at a press conference to his severely injured teammate Stefon Diggs.
Diggs came over from the Buffalo Bills this offseason in one of the most talked about trades in the NFL to join a high-powered offense with Stroud, Dalton Schultz, Tank Dell and Nico Collins, who is currently on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.
Quarterback C.J. Stroud #7 of the Houston Texans celebrates after his touchdown pass against the Minnesota Vikings with Stefon Diggs #1 during the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 22, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Diggs’ performance in the 2024 NFL season
Diggs started all eight games for the Texans in the 2024 NFL season until leaving the game against the Colts with an injury. The receiver had 47 receptions for 496 yards and three touchdowns. He led the team in receptions, so his loss is more than significant for the Houston franchise’s season aspirations.
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NFL News: Texans QB CJ Stroud loses key teammate for the season due to terrible injury
Diggs’ impact as Texans’ leader
It is clear that Diggs’ injury has affected his level of play, but also his image as a leader. Stroud made that clear. “Stef (Diggs) is somebody you can count on as a friend, a teammate, a brother, somebody who gives you life advice and somebody who is just a veteran who has lived a lot,” the Texans quarterback reflected.
