Dan Orlovsky apologizes to C.J. Stroud: ‘I crossed the line’

Dan Orlovsky prides his ability to assess NFL teams and quarterbacks with nuanced analysis and context, something he failed to do with C.J. Stroud this week.

Thursday morning, Orlovsky joined ESPN’s Get Up to preview this weekend’s AFC Championship game between the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos. But first, Orlovsky apologized to the quarterback New England beat to get there.

I should’ve been better pic.twitter.com/zJ7ZkrOW9R

— Dan Orlovsky (@danorlovsky7) January 22, 2026

“On Monday morning after the Patriots-Texans game, I went on and said, ‘Houston wins that game with 31 other quarterbacks.’ I want to publicly apologize to C.J. Stroud,” Orlovsky said. “I crossed the line. I don’t ever want to do that. When I started eight years ago, I made the commitment, never go on TV and say the won because the quarterback played good or they lost because the quarterback played bad. I’ve been called out on it. Accountability, full stop. Shouldn’t have done it.

“There’s ways for me to say… ‘C.J. Stroud did the one thing he couldn’t do and that’s why they lose the game.’ I don’t want to take away from New England’s defense as well. Full stop. That wasn’t cool of me. That was wrong of me.”

C.J. Stroud was really bad against the Patriots. His four interceptions in the first half were so bad that it had fans and analysts questioning whether the Texans should consider moving on from the quarterback they selected with the No. 2 overall pick just three years ago. Orlovsky wasn’t wrong for placing blame on Stroud, but he placed all the blame on Stroud.

Dan Orlovsky fell into what can be an easy trap on TV. Sports debate shows encourage putting a little something extra on a take to make it more attention-grabbing. And claiming every other starting NFL quarterback could have led Houston to a win over New England was that little extra on top of saying Stroud was really bad.

The take caused Orlovsky to garner backlash from Texans fans, Patriots fans, and NFL fans who noticed he didn’t treat Josh Allen’s four turnovers against the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round with similar vitriol. But after days of being on the receiving end of criticism for his bold take, credit Orlovsky for apologizing, even as other sports entertainers might have been more likely to double- or triple-down.