HOUSTON \u2013 Will Anderson Jr. couldn\u2019t help but laugh. He was aware of the somewhat viral weight gain rumors about him on social media.<\/p>\n
The Internet is truly undefeated, as they say. The truth, though, is that the Texans\u2019 All-Pro defensive end has simply been working out intensely and concentrating on a healthy diet. Anderson said he weighs 258 to 260 pounds.<\/p>\n
\u201cI did not put on 25 pounds of muscle!\u201d Anderson said during his youth football camp inside the Texans\u2019 practice bubble. I do not know where that came from. No, I would just say I did take a better job this offseason of dieting and getting with my self and just toning my body. <\/p>\n
\u201cI appreciate the Texans and the team that I work with in the offseason is just dialing in the little things. So, just toning my muscles up, getting more flexible, getting more mobile and stuff like that.\u201d<\/p>\n
The full Will Anderson Jr. experience is a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks and the blockers tasked with slowing down the Texans\u2019 star pass rusher.<\/p>\n
Anderson is rapidly becoming unblockable as the scourge of offenses across the league and the Texans\u2019 newly-minted $150 million man as the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history.<\/p>\n
As much as the Texans enjoy watching Anderson crash into quarterbacks and stonewall running backs, it\u2019s a tough deal to practice against him and run their plays on a daily basis. It\u2019s akin to how the Texans ultimately had three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year selection and future Hall of Fame first-ballot pick J.J. Watt sit out some plays in full-team work so they can run plays without constant disruption.<\/p>\n
Anderson makes no apologies for simply being this good.<\/p>\n
\u201cNaturally, that\u2019s just who I am,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cI\u2019ve been like that since high school. They\u2019ve been trying to slow me down, but I love the preparation.<\/p>\n
\u201cI love the process. For me, the preparation, the process, it has to be consistent. And the only way it would be consistent is if you practice the way you want to play in the game. I approach practice in a way that I\u2019m playing in the game. So, when the game comes, it\u2019s a little easier.<\/p>\n
Basically, it\u2019s a good problem to have. Anderson is just that dominant.<\/p>\n
He has 30 career sacks and was a finalist for NFL Defensive Player of the Year with the crown going to his occasional workout partner: Los Angeles Rams defensive end Myles Garrett, the NFL single-season sack record holder.<\/p>\n
Texans coach DeMeco Ryans joked about Anderson wrecking his practices with his disruption, but it does make things difficult for offensive coordinator Nick Caley.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you ask Caley? You\u2019d have to ask him,\u201d Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke said. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t mess up my practice. That\u2019s what I want. I think we held him out the other day, We don\u2019t want to train bad habits for our defensive line and our get-off and the way we approach it. I think Will doesn\u2019t know any different. I think he doesn\u2019t want to backslide or take a step in the wrong direction. So, when you tell people like, \u2018Hey, kind of half-speed this,\u2019 it just doesn\u2019t register for him. <\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a part of it that we don\u2019t want to build bad habits for those guys because sometimes if you\u2019re not in your stance and locked and loaded to get out and explode, that\u2019s creating bad footwork. Will is such a believer and a convert in that that he doesn\u2019t want to do anything differently. So, it\u2019s on DeMeco [Ryans] to make sure he\u2019s controlling it. At the end of the day, we don\u2019t want to take away what his super power is and that\u2019s it. It\u2019s fun for me to coach.”<\/p>\n
The Texans have made the playoffs each season under Ryans\u2019 tenure. And they have won three wild-card playoff games before exiting in the AFC divisional round and are now 0-7 all-time at that stage of the postseason.<\/p>\n
Anderson is openly discussing the Texans\u2019 bigger ambitions to become a championship squad.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe mindset is just to swarm, not lose the sight of what the mission is,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cThe mission is always a Super Bowl. But right now, we got to take it one thing at a time, one process at a time. And right now, it\u2019s just get over that hump of the second round.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe goal is the goal. It\u2019s never going to change. It\u2019s just about how much better can we get at achieving that goal? Just be us and hopefully get over that hump of that second round and get to the Super Bowl.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Texans have made several upgrades across the roster this offseason.<\/p>\n
That includes signing offensive linemen Wyatt Teller and Braden Smith, trading for running back David Montgomery and adding safety Reed Blankenship.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe enthusiasm in the building, the energy in the building has been great,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cI love the new additions that we\u2019ve gotten. The urgency\u2019s been high. Just like one of the best OTA\u2019s I\u2019ve been a part of since I\u2019ve been here just as a close team on all the new additions being here. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe chemistry has always been great. This year, they added some new people, but it\u2019s like we\u2019ve all been playing together for a very long time already. We had a team event that was really great and everybody interacted. I think this is a really close-knit team that I\u2019m really excited to be a part of.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history <\/a>and the highest paid defensive player in the game, Anderson received a deal with a $50 million annual average compensation per year in new money, surpassing Green Bay Packers edge Micah Parsons\u2019 $46.5 million average. The contract, which runs through 2030, includes $134 million total guaranteed, $100 million fully guaranteed for skill, injury and salary cap, a $32 million signing bonus and a rare no-trade clause.<\/p>\n For Anderson, this watershed moment represents the culmination of all of his hard work. From moving from running back as a young football player to defensive end. To his time as an All-American at Alabama and Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year and Bronko Nagurski Award winner. To becoming the third overall pick of the draft four years ago after a dramatic trade with the Arizona Cardinals and becoming the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.<\/p>\n Anderson recorded a career-high dozen sacks and 20 tackles for losses and 23 quarterback hits last season, 30 career sacks in three seasons, 46 tackles for losses, 64 quarterback hits, four forced fumbles. Plus, eight sacks, eight tackles for losses and 11 quarterback hits in six career playoff games.<\/p>\n Can Anderson get even better?<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s definitely more for Will,\u201d said Ryans, who referenced Anderson getting additional practice time with defensive line coach and run game coordinator Rod Wright and assistant defensive line coach Frank Okam. \u201cOn the field, he\u2019s always fine-tuning his craft. He\u2019s working extra. He\u2019s working on the small intricacies of hand placement and those things as a pass rusher. <\/p>\n \u201cBut where I\u2019ve seen him take another step this year is just his leadership of being vocal as a leader for our team. Being that guy, he has no issue bringing the team up, letting everybody know, \u2018Hey, this wasn\u2019t a good day. Let\u2019s pick it up.\u2019 He does a great job as well of encouraging guys when he sees it done the right way. So, him taking that step as a vocal leader is where I\u2019ve seen his growth already happen this year.\u201d<\/p>\n Watching Anderson execute his craft is a treat for his defensive teammates.<\/p>\n They love the infectious enthusiasm and relentless nature he plays the game with, and his expansive repertoire of moves.<\/p>\n Even at the expense of the offensive timing.<\/p>\n \u201cWill is Will,\u201d Texans nickel Jalen Pitre said. \u201cHe\u2019s going to wreck practices, wreck games, wreck meetings. He\u2019s going to wreck everything. That\u2019s why he\u2019s the best because he shows up every day ready to work, ready to push others, inspire others. <\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a great leader for this team, a great player for this team. He\u2019s definitely already, like you said, wreaking havoc out there in t-shirt and shorts. Coach is always on a tipping point of like, \u2018Do I slow him down?\u2019 It\u2019s like, that\u2019s just Will, you can\u2019t really slow him down.\u201d<\/p>\n What\u2019s next? Well, Anderson is beyond tired of losing in the AFC divisional round, including defeats against the New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens.<\/p>\n The Texans have never reached an AFC championship game.<\/p>\n Anderson is extremely motivated to help his team reach that milestone.<\/p>\n \u201cAsk me about contract, yeah, the contract is cool, but ask me about winning, that\u2019s more important,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cHow we get over this hump, how we can get past the second round is what\u2019s been on my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n Anderson was a finalist for NFL Defensive Player of the Year with the crown going to Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, who set the record for most sacks in a single season. <\/p>\n Anderson is truly an elite player, though, regardless of not winning the award. He\u2019s already a three-time Pro Bowl selection, at age 24.<\/p>\n A national champion at Alabama drafted third overall in 2023, Anerson was a two-time Bronko Nagurski trophy winner who also won the Lombardi, Chuck Bednarik and Lott awards and was a two-time All-American and Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year.<\/p>\n \u201cNothing that Will does surprises me,\u201d Texans Pro Bowl corner Kamari Lassiter said. \u201cDuring football, outside of football, nothing that he does surprises me. He\u2019s one of a kind. So, I feel like whenever I see Will wreck a play up in practice or in a game, I\u2019m just like, \u2018Good job, do it again,\u2019 because I know he\u2019s like, he\u2019s going to do it again and again and again. I feel like he hasn\u2019t even tapped into the level that he really wants to tap into and that\u2019s the scary part.\u201d<\/p>\n For Anderson, the watershed moment of his contract represents the culmination of all of his hard work. From moving from running back as a young football player to defensive end.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been so overwhelmed with joy these last couple days, nonstop tears, and it\u2019s been a blessing,\u201d said Anderson after a lengthy, emotional statement as he thanked his parents, Will Sr. and Tereon, his five older sisters, Texans coach DeMeco Ryans, Caserio, the McNair family, his coaches, agent Nicole Lynn and everyone at Klutch Sports and, of course, his late grandmother, who was instrumental in molding the 24-year-old All-Pro defensive end. \u201cI love what I do. I tell people all the time. It\u2019s really never, ever been about the money for me. It\u2019s always just been about walking in my purpose and doing what God has called me to do. <\/p>\n \u201cTo be able to be here right now and be in this moment and enjoy this moment, it means everything to me. I just think about my family, everything that we endured growing up, all the hard times, everything, to get to retire my parents early, to get to see my sisters thrive, my nieces and nephews, the rest of my family. I think that\u2019s the biggest blessing for me.\u201d<\/p>\n The decision to reward Anderson and make him the highest paid non-quarterback in NFL history was rooted in his standing as a foundational piece of the Texans.<\/p>\n And hammering out this contract couldn\u2019t have made Ryans any happier. Earned, not given embodies the situation.<\/p>\n \u201cWill is an outstanding young man, outstanding player,\u201d Ryans said. \u201cHe shows up every single day, working how we expect guys to work and doing all the things a leader does. He\u2019s a guy that you want guys following.<\/p>\n \u201cHe embodies everything that it means to be a Texan and he\u2019s definitely deserving of the contract situation that he\u2019s gotten. He\u2019s earned it and he\u2019s done an outstanding job of leading.\u201d<\/p>\n Growing up in Georgia, Anderson was initially a running back. He wanted to be the next Adrian Peterson.<\/p>\n When he was shifted to defensive end, Anderson didn\u2019t like the change at first.<\/p>\n \u201cI cried,\u201d Anderson said.<\/p>\n Several years later, Anderson is coming off a stellar third NFL season. He was named All-Pro for the first time and was a finalist for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.<\/p>\n \u201cIt worked out,\u201d Anderson said while smiling.<\/p>\n When the Texans drafted Anderson in 2023, they maneuvered to acquire him one pick after drafting quarterback C.J. Stroud third overall. The trade between Caserio and Cardinals general manager Monti Ossenfort involved a 2024 first-round selection and landed Anderson.<\/p>\n Now, Anderson is the ultimate chess piece in the Texans\u2019 top-ranked defense.<\/p>\n \u201cThe name got him where he is, so we\u2019ll keep him as the Terminator,\u201d Texans defensive line coach and run game coordinator Rod Wright said. \u201cHe\u2019s definitely lived up to that name. He\u2019s a guy that has been disruptive and made a lot of plays for us, won us a lot of games, and that\u2019ll continue. At the end of the day, he\u2019s gonna reach whatever he wants to do, because he takes it very seriously. It\u2019s really, really cool to watch him continue to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n For Lynn, this deal after negotiating other huge contracts for her clients, including Garrett, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts and Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, was a thrilling moment.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s surreal,\u201d Lynn said. \u201cI never take any of it for granted. I\u2019m very honored to do the job that I do, and I represent a lot of different players across the league, and every one of these moments feels like the first. <\/p>\n \u201cHe is the absolute most deserving person. That is who he is every single day. So, it\u2019s really a blessing to represent someone that\u2019s incredible on the field, but off the field. So, deserving and puts everyone else first. I was so excited to give him that news.\u201d<\/p>\n The contract didn\u2019t come as a surprise. KPRC 2 reported for months that the deal was an eventuality and would average as much $50 million annually.<\/p>\n The talks between Lynn and Caserio ran smoothly.<\/p>\n \u201cNick and I have a really good relationship,\u201d Lynn said. \u201cI don\u2019t know exactly where it started. I think Nick called me, but I think we kind of all knew that it was time for him to get paid. Nick is incredible to work with. And the reason is that Nick, he obviously, is doing his job as a general manager, but he cares about the players. <\/p>\n \u201cYou can feel that, and that actually starts at ownership. You can feel that with the McNairs that they want to do right by the players. With Nick starting the deal early, I think, for him, was showing Will the belief that this organization has in him long-term, right? They didn\u2019t want to play any games. They knew how important he was to the organization. They wanted him to know that through the deal.\u201d<\/p>\n Anderson ranked second in the NFL with 85 total pressures last season, according to Next Gen Stats. Recording 48 pressures on third down marked the most since that statistic has been tracked.<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t even reached to the period of where I want to be at in my game,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cAnd I think this offseason I\u2019ve continued to build my body up to be able to bend or to be able to finish on the quarterback. That\u2019s the next step is just be able to finish on the quarterback.\u201d<\/p>\n Anderson doesn\u2019t plan to go on a major spending spree.<\/p>\n He does plan to purchase a speed boat for his fishing trips with his father.<\/p>\n Growing up as the baby of the family with five older sisters, Anderson learned the value of having a strong work ethic and traditional values and a deep religious faith from his parents.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that\u2019s why I got so emotional because these two right here, being in a three-bedroom house with six kids wasn\u2019t easy,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cWorking long nights. My mom got to work overtime. My dad working overtime. It meant the world for me to do what I do.\u201d<\/p>\n Anderson is pivotal to the Texans\u2019 present and future as a game-wrecking defensive end capable of harassing quarterbacks and shutting down runs, doubling as a team captain and leader.<\/p>\n And his success all started at home with his parents\u2019 loving example.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s always been humble, always been disciplined, didn\u2019t give us no problems, just a really sweet kid,\u201d Tereon Anderson said. \u201cNow, the sisters might say something differently, but the parents, that\u2019s he week, pretty much was just a typical young man.\u201d<\/p>\n The pride of the family was obvious, just as it has been throughout his time in Houston.<\/p>\n \u201cThe growth and maturity,he\u2019s just a natural,\u201d Will Anderson Sr. said. \u201cEverything that he did, he grew up pretty fast. We don\u2019t have any baby pictures of Will because he grew up so fast. We missed a lot of that time so, but he just matured really fast.\u201d<\/p>\n Anderson spent a lot of time with his grandmother, his father\u2019s mother.<\/p>\n \u2018She was very instrumental,” Tereon Anderson said. \u201cHe learned very early on how to give back to others. We hope we were great parents, but God already had all those things instilled in him. His character was built from the womb.\u201d<\/p>\n Anderson used to accompany his father to the food market, learning how to work hard from his example that included cutting fish and other blue-collar tasks.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was very intentional, because I took not just only Will, I took my daughters also so, and I told all of them, this is not what I want for you guys,\u201c Will Anderson Sr. said. \u201dFree education, go to college.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe always told them if you are not better than us, that we failed,\u201d Tereon Anderson said. \u201cBecause the work that we did was to raise them so we wanted to give them an opportunity to be better. <\/p>\n \u201cHis junior year, he got his first college offer, and I think that\u2019s when he started to say, \u2018Well, maybe I\u2019ll go to school if I\u2019m gonna get a scholarship.\u2019 And we kind of took off from there, but he really wanted to do the same things that his dad did.\u201d<\/p>\n Anderson is deeply spiritual and open in discussing his Christian faith.<\/p>\n During the Pro Bowl Games, Anderson partnered with the ministry group, God Behind Bars, in February to share his faith with inmates at San Quentin State Prison. He spoke to over 150 inmates about his faith and personal journey. Several inmates chose to get baptized after listening to Anderson\u2019s inspirational message.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a life-changing experience, very life-changing,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cAnybody that\u2019s deep in their word; the journey is something. Once you get close with God and you start on your journey, it\u2019s like that\u2019s when you start to see so much impurity in yourself and start to see the ways the world will pull you in. When I walked in there, these guys are facing life. They don\u2019t get to see their kids, don\u2019t get to see their families, but their faith was so strong in Jesus Christ. <\/p>\n \u201cIt literally changed my life because I\u2019m out here. I\u2019m free. I have so much free will. I can do what I want, but these guys are incarcerated and can\u2019t do much. But they\u2019re like, \u2018The one thing that I can cling on to is my faith, and I know that my situation will get better.\u2019 To be able to speak to those guys and to speak life into them is just as much as they speak life into me. It was just a very wholesome moment.\u201d<\/p>\n Although the Texans ultimately lost in the AFC divisional round playoffs to the Patriots, it wasn\u2019t because of Anderson. He recorded three sacks, two forced fumbles and two tackles for losses.<\/p>\n The extremely high value of Anderson as a pass rusher and run-stopper was underscored again, just as it was all season.<\/p>\n And the big trade with the Cardinals changed the course of the Texans. Anderson has arguably emerged as the face of the franchise.<\/p>\n \u201cThe 2023 draft is probably one of the most exciting drafts that I\u2019ve been a part of, and I would say one of the most exciting drafts in Texans history,\u201d said Ryans, a former NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year selected in 2006 out of Alabama. \u201cIt was exciting just to know what we were doing. We pick C.J. at the second pick and to know we\u2019re back on the phones trying to trade up to get Will, it was just an exciting moment, a tense moment.<\/p>\n \u201cThe adrenaline is pumping in the room. It was awesome. Nick executed the trade. It was about the guy we were getting. As we all see, fast forward to where we are now, it was well worth the move. We knew the type of man that Will was, and it was worth moving up to get him and it has paid off big time for us.\u201d<\/p>\n When Anderson got the call from Ryans while he was in the green room, he didn\u2019t know what to think at first.<\/p>\n He had visited the Texans and had struck up a good relationship with Ryans. He was hoping they would come get him.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the green room, Arizona was still on the clock, and that\u2019s a whole other conversation for another time, but Arizona\u2019s still on the clock,\u201d Anderson recounted. \u201cI tell this story all the time. I promise you I\u2019m not lying. DeMeco had called me, because at the time me and DeMeco, we had a pretty good relationship. <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m thinking he\u2019s calling me like, \u2018Yeah, man, I\u2019m sorry we couldn\u2019t get you.\u2019 Then, he told me he was drafting me, and I just went crazy, like went crazy. I really wanted to be here. I really wanted to be a part of something very special. As you can see, we\u2019ve been on the up and up and I think we\u2019re trending in the right way to get it done.\u201d<\/p>\n PHOENIX — #Texans<\/a> Cal McNair and Hannah McNair on potential long-term deals for Will Anderson Jr., C.J. Stroud: ‘Exciting, really good players, we’ll hope to have them around a long, long time. .. It’s a good problem to have when you have so many guys you want to keep under\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/WunQinzX0g<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) April 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The rest is history.<\/p>\n Anderson plans to stay grounded and not alter his hard-nosed, relentless approach to football and his fun-loving life enjoying the outdoors<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s staying to the process, not changing,\u201d Anderson said. \u201cI think it\u2019s about growth and obviously maturity. You just keep going in your same process. I\u2019m young at this, but guys will want to change or do more. I think the biggest thing that I\u2019m going to keep with me is what DeMeco told me when I first got here: <\/p>\n \u201c\u2018You don\u2019t got to be Superman, just go be the same person you\u2019ve been when we drafted you, when you were at Alabama, the leader, the player that you were.\u2019 That\u2019s what\u2019s been helping me succeed so far. So, just continue to be myself, continue to grow my game, grow up my teammates, have fun with them and just go play for them.\u201d<\/p>\n What would his late grandmother have to say now about what has transpired, of this groundbreaking achievement?<\/p>\n \u201c\u2019Look at little Willy go,\u2019\u201d Anderson said. ” hat\u2019s what she would have said. \u2018Look at little Will go.\u2019 She would be so proud, She was a big influence in my life as well. Walking me out the door every morning before going to school. I still hold her closely to my heart and what I do, a lot of tears that they see before the games, a lot of that is for her, too.\u201d<\/p>\n Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com<\/a> <\/p>\n Copyright 2026 by KPRC Click2Houston – All rights reserved.<\/p>\n