Indianapolis Colts linebacker Zaire Franklin is stirring up anticipation for the upcoming 2024 NFL season, particularly for the matchups against the Houston Texans and their quarterback, C.J. Stroud.
Franklin, appearing on a recent episode of the Green Light with Chris Long podcast, hinted at intensifying the Colts-Texans rivalry.
“When asked about the Colts’ rivals, Franklin didn’t hesitate to point out Houston,” he stated. “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. … He is feeling himself. … I need to see that boy again.”
Zaire Franklin calls out QB C.J. Stroud, spicing up Colts-Texans rivalry https://t.co/CM3hRpHWE0
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) May 8, 2024
Last season, the Colts and Texans split their two matchups, with each team claiming a victory. Franklin recalled a conversation with Stroud during Super Bowl LVIII’s Radio Row, shedding light on their competitive encounters.
“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 recounted.
“I saw him and I pulled him aside and was like you know when you played Anthony it was like 28-7 in the second quarter, we were kind of blowing you out. … Yeah you threw for 300 yards but … I was like if that’s what you consider a cooking with the loss, I mean congratulations. Then I have to remind him as well that he’s never beaten Anthony.”
With tensions already brewing, all eyes will be on Franklin and Stroud when the Colts and Texans clash in the upcoming season.
