Texans’ C.J. Stroud shocks NFL world with dramatic hairstyle change

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4 February 2026 at 21:31

C.J. Stroud did not have the performance he was hoping for in the Houston Texans’ Divisional Round loss to the New England Patriots in this year’s NFL Playoffs.

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New England’s defense smothered Stroud and his Texans side in their postseason matchup, with the former Ohio State QB throwing four interceptions in the first half alone.

Jan 18, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) after the game against the New England Patriots in an AFC Divisional Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images

Perhaps Stroud is now hoping that a new look and a change in hairstyle will change his team’s fortunes for next season.

C.J. Stroud’s fresh, new look

Stroud went ahead and got his dreadlocks removed with hair stylist Ashley Means (houstonwigqueen) and NFL barber Kase Kutzz (katch_a_kase) showing the results in a video on their Instagram profiles.

The fresh look which the haircut has given Stroud paints quite a clear picture of the noticeable difference between his previous hairstyle and his new and current one, especially when you see just how much of the Texans star’s hair actually had to be slashed off.

There is still quite some time to go until the 2026 NFL season kicks off in September so we would have to wait and see what Stroud’s hairstyle will look like then. But for now, he sure seems ready to rock his new look for this upcoming offseason.