Stroud said he gave 'all glory to my Lord and savior Jesus Christ' after last week's playoff win
After C.J. Stroud helped the Houston Texans to a dominant playoff win last weekend, he gave "all glory to my Lord and savior Jesus Christ."
When the official "Sunday Night Football" account on X, formerly Twitter, posted the interview, it edited out the mention of Jesus.
Social media users were quick to rip NBC for the edit.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans runs out of the tunnel prior to a wild-card playoff game against the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium Jan. 13, 2024, in Houston. (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
A fellow Christian, former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb, took his own shots at the network while defending Stroud.
"It’s very lame," McNabb said on his OutKick podcast, "The Five Spot."
"Players always express that as well, and to have that cut out is truly, it’s disrespectful," he added. "There are a lot of people out there who are Christians and believe in Jesus, and those who don’t believe in Jesus, still, they don’t feel like that’s disrespectful to them.
"To cut it out and be a media outlet that’s focusing on the game interviewing these players, the fans want to feel as one with the player. And when they hear a player talk, they break down everything that young man says — and young woman. … I just think, for NBC, they stuck their foot in a hole at this particular point. They gotta get themselves out."
C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans runs for a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium Nov. 12, 2023, in Cincinnati. (Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
McNabb noted that players want to express themselves freely to better connect with fans.
"You’re a media outlet that’s supposed to express and show and display what these young men are all about. This is their opportunity and their platform to be able to step on stage and tell people and show people what type of individual they are, and C.J. Stroud is doing that," McNabb said. "That’s why you hear a lot of athletes say, ‘I can use my platform to reach out to millions of people.’
"For NBC to do this … they really have to go back … and evaluate themselves. They have to get this thing corrected because that’s definitely not the direction it needs to be going in at this point."
Stroud explained to Fox News Digital before the NFL Draft last year why he keeps his faith first.
C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans celebrates after a touchdown during an NFL wild-card playoff game against the Cleveland Browns at NRG Stadium Jan. 13, 2024, in Houston. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
"It’s what’s kept me grounded even through my season," he said in February. "Football has a lot of ups and downs. It has a lot of twists and turns. But, at the end of the day, it’s all about your foundation. And something that’s set my foundation is my faith.
"It’s something I’m not perfect in, but I try to work every day to be better. And I definitely think that’s what saved me. If it helps encouraging anybody to help them in their lives, whatever they’re going through, then I’m all for it."
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
