Texans' C.J. Stroud Called Out by Colts' Zaire Franklin: 'Need to See That Boy Again'

As Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud prepares to enter his second year in the NFL, it sounds like a budding rivalry is waiting for him this season.

During an appearance on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast, Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin called out Stroud and said he's looking forward to the two meetings they will have during the 2024 campaign.

"I'm not going to lie to you, I like C.J., man, I support all our young brothers at quarterback, but C.J., he done said a lot of wild stuff to me in our run-ins," Franklin said (h/t Grant Gordon of NFL.com). "… He is feeling himself. … I need to see that boy again."

The Colts and Texans split the season series in 2023 1-1, but it was Houston that went on to win the AFC South title. Franklin went on to add he took issue with the way Stroud characterized the two games during a media appearance, considering Indianapolis won their game by 11 points while Houston's win was a 23-19 nailbiter.

"Well, we were talking, and you know how the Super Bowl is at Radio Row, he had the XM Radio right before me and he was on there talking about how he cooked the Colts in both games," Franklin recalled. "I saw him and I pulled him aside and was like you know when you played Anthony (Richardson) it was like 28-7 in the second quarter, we were kind of blowing you out. …Yeah you threw for 300 yards but …"

Stroud performed well against the Colts, throwing for a combined 648 yards and four touchdowns, with 348 yards coming in the 31-20 Week 2 loss.

"I was like if that's what you consider a cooking with the loss, I mean congratulations," Franklin said. "Then I have to remind him as well that he's never beaten Anthony."

Franklin led the Colts and ranked second in the NFL with 179 total tackles, so he's more than ready to do his talking on the field when the Colts and Texans face each other this year.