CJ Stroud’s viral warmup was done by Aryna Sabalenka: What it is and how it benefits athletes
The Houston Texans quarterback surprised many with an eye and thumb dominated workout during his warmup routine before a preseason game.
Despite being just 24 years old and having a a Pro Bowl season under his belt, CJ Stroud heads into the 2026 NFL season as one of the most scrutinized players in the league. After an implosion in last year’s playoffs, all eyes are on the young quarterback in his fourth season.
That includes the preseason, as Stroud got some snaps in the Houston Texans ’ second preseason contest against the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night. Stroud didn’t play much, but he ended up going viral on social media anyway. That was thanks to a warmup exercise that caught the attention of fans all across the internet.
CJ Stroud’s eye-thumb exercise was viralized by Aryna Sabalenka months ago
During the warmup, Stroud holds out his thumbs and alternates looking at each of them with both eyes very quickly . First he does it with his arms extended out, then one on top and one on the bottom. While it might seem weird to football fans, it’s not uncommon among professional athletes .
Not long ago, a clip of tennis superstar Aryna Sabalenka doing a very similar eye drill went viral on social media. Sabalenka practically did the same eye movements Stroud did, but with tennis balls instead of thumbs moving around. This type of drill can help as a neural system warmup as well as an exercise to strengthen eye muscles .
It makes sense that a quarterback would be the one doing that type of drill, as it’s a position that requires an incredible amount of split-second mental processing , through the eyes to the brain. Football players likely work on these types of exercises behind closed doors, but it’s rarely seen on the field during warmups.
Stroud bringing the exercise into the national spotlight could very well lead to more quarterbacks incorporating it into their warmup routines, possibly as soon as this season.
