Will Anderson Jr. #51 of the Houston Texans (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Will Anderson Jr. is already one of the top defensive players in the league.
The Houston Texans defensive end has not only established himself as one of the top young stars since the Texans selected him with the third overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft but also has established himself as an elite defensive player.
Anderson has all of the accolades, including winning Defensive Rookie of the Year and being named a Pro Bowler and All-Pro Defensive Player within his first three seasons. The one thing left to accomplish? Winning Defensive Player of the Year. Anderson finished as a runner-up to Myles Garrett, who broke the single-season sack record and won DPOY for the second time.
“Of course,” Anderson said in a one-on-one interview with RG when asked if he wants to win DPOY. “We always set goals for the season, and we want these things, and that’s most definitely a goal of mine. But you focus about the now right now. You write it down on the paper, but I think it just goes back to the process again. I can’t look too far ahead of like, Oh, there goes DPOY. Like no, I got to wait. So of course it’s a goal of mine, but you got to go through the journey. You got to go through the process to get there.”
Record Contract Follows Career-Best Season
Anderson set career highs last season across the board with 54 tackles, 12 sacks, 20 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. The former Alabama star signed the largest deal for a non-quarterback before the season started, inking a three-year, $150 million contract extension with $134 million guaranteed.
“It means everything to me,” Anderson said on signing the deal. “It’s really a big blessing. I’m really big in my faith. Anytime someone tries to gas me up or ask me questions around this, I just have to give it back to God. He’s just been unbelievable in my life, and I’ve just been so appreciative. I’ve been able to have success so early in my career, and for me, it’s a blessing, but it’s not — it’s already out the way — and it’s so much more left on the plate, and it’s so much more left on the field for me to go achieve. That’s just right now what I’m striving for.”
Texans Fight Back From 0-3 Start
The 25-year-old is concerned with continuing to improve. The Texans can use every ounce of greatness from Anderson considering they’ve unexpectedly started the season 0-3. It’s worth noting Houston went to the playoffs last season after starting the year 0-3 under the same core and head coach DeMeco Ryans. They also accomplished the feat during the 2018 season.
“I’m just blessed to get this out the way, and it’s really a blessing,” Anderson said. “But for me, it’s just like, how much more can I get better? How much more can I be the best version of myself on the field, and just carrying over from what I did last year to this year, and having fun with my guys on the field. Hopefully winning the Super Bowl and bringing something back really special to this city.”
If the Texans are to bounce back for the second consecutive season and make the playoffs, Anderson said the team has the “experience” and they know what they need to do to get over the hump. They’ve made playoff runs in each of the past three seasons, only to be eliminated in the divisional round each time.
“Most definitely, I think we have the experience now,” Anderson said.
“I think we’ve been there a lot of times and we know what to expect. But I think it’s the level of awareness and the level of detail that picks up, and I think that’s what we just have to continue to do is raise our awareness of detail when we go into these games. Minor mistakes have to be less. You can’t make any mistakes in games like this.
“Of course, you’re not going to play a perfect game, but at the end of the day, it just comes down who’s the most sound team, who’s the most disciplined team, and those are the teams that win it,” Anderson continued. “The teams that execute the best, and we just have to continue to do a better job of executing and being the better team that executes the best.”
Anderson once again hammers home executing when it matters most.
“Every game is going to come down to either the defense being on the field, the offense being on the field, and how can we capitalize,” Anderson said. “I think DeMeco does a really good job of putting us in game-like situations. We just have to go out there and execute again.”
Anderson Trusts His Process
As far as increasing his sack numbers, Anderson said that is a goal, but it’s all a part of the “process.”
“Always wanting to increase the sack numbers, but also I think the thing is enjoying your process, and that’s what I tell everybody all the time,” Anderson said. “Everybody is like, ‘Oh, we want to get to the destination. We want to do this.’ Well, you can’t get to the destination without going through your process. For me, I just want to keep going through my process. I think my process will lead me to having better numbers than I did last year. I think being consistent at your process and having fun with your process, no matter if it’s a hard day, a good day, a painful day, a hurtful day.
“As long as you keep going through your process and trending forward and being consistent with your process, you’re going to get the numbers you want, and so I’m a big believer in that,” Anderson continued.
“Obviously, there are things I want to get better at, of course, and that’s within my process. My process will take care of those things as I continue to go through it, as I continue to keep starting to step through, keep using my hands, keep showing up every day, being deliberate and being intentional with my steps, with my hands, being a great leader, connecting with my teammates. I think if we look at things I want to get better at, those are the things I want to continue to get better at. It’s being an all around great player.”
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