History, in the NFL, usually takes a decade to write. It is a slow accumulation of Sundays, bruises, and box scores. But in Houston, Will Anderson Jr. is writing it in fast forward.
With his latest sack, Anderson has officially moved into fourth place on the Houston Texans’ all-time sack list, surpassing Jadeveon Clowney. It is a milestone that feels both inevitable and startlingly sudden. At just 24 years old, in the midst of only his third NFL campaign, Anderson has vaulted over a decade of pass-rushing history to stand behind the franchise’s undisputed “Big Three”: Mario Williams, Whitney Mercilus, and the deity himself, J.J. Watt.
Anderson now stares up at the Texans’ Mount Rushmore, and the gap between fourth and third is a canyon. He trails Mario Williams (53.0) and Whitney Mercilus (57.0) by over 20 sacks. And then, hovering in the stratosphere, is J.J. Watt at 101.0 sacks—a number that feels less like a record and more like a mythology.
Advertisement
Why does being fourth matter? Because it validates the aggressive, culture-shifting gamble the Texans took to get him.
When Houston traded a king’s ransom to move up to No. 3 overall in 2023, the skeptics were loud. They said you don’t trade that much capital for a non-quarterback. Anderson’s ascent proves that you do, especially if that non-quarterback is a cornerstone.
Anderson isn’t just accumulating stats, but on the verge or surpassing them on the hunt. By sitting fourth, he has separated himself from the “good” players in franchise history. He has entered the VIP section. He is no longer just a “promising young player”; he is a statistical pillar of the franchise.
Advertisement
The question is no longer if Will Anderson Jr. will catch Mario Williams and Whitney Mercilus, but when. If Anderson maintains his current pace with averaging double-digit sacks per season, he will likely eclipse both Williams and Mercilus by the end of his fifth season (2027). That would make him, statistically, the second-greatest pass rusher in team history before his rookie contract even expires.
That leaves the Watt question.
Chasing J.J. Watt is like chasing a hurricane. Watt’s peak (20.5 sacks in 2012 and 2014) is an anomaly in the history of the sport. To catch Watt, Anderson doesn’t just need to be great; he needs to be an Ironman. He needs longevity, health, and a decade of dominance.
Advertisement
But if there is anyone built to make that climb, it is Anderson. He possesses the same relentless, borderline-obsessive drive that defined Watt’s tenure. He plays the run with the same ferocity as the pass. He is the heartbeat of DeMeco Ryans’ defense in the same way Watt was the heartbeat of Wade Phillips’ and Romeo Crennel’s units.
For now, let’s appreciate the moment. Will Anderson Jr. has cleared the clutter. He has surpassed the former No. 1 pick who once defined the defense. He stands fourth, young and hungry, looking up at three legends.
The pillars of Texans past are watching, and for the first time since No. 99 walked out the door, they might just hear footsteps coming up the mountain.