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Gratitude overflowed out of Will Anderson Jr. on Tuesday as he addressed the media for the first time since becoming the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
Anderson, who signed a three-year, $150 million deal with the Texans that includes $134 million guaranteed, began his first public comments thanking his family, his team and God. The contract extension allows him to surpass Micah Parsons as the highest-paid defensive player and makes him the first non-quarterback to sign a deal worth $50 million per year.
Related: Will Anderson Jr. Deserves His Deal, But Texans Are Trying to Win the Hard Way
Last Friday, Anderson was training when he received a call from his agent, Nicole Lynn, telling him to call her back as soon as he finished. “My heart kinda dropped, I was like, ‘what’s going on?’” Anderson recalled. “I get home, she tells me everything, I literally drop to my knees, total thanks, like tears. Then I had to get on a flight the same day. I felt bad for the lady sitting beside me; she was probably so concerned about me because I was crying the whole flight.”
It’s a remarkable outcome for a player that didn’t even want to play football and didn’t watch the sport growing up. Anderson said he was put in football as a kid, but didn’t really embrace becoming a football player until he got to high school. Even then, he wore No. 28 because he wanted to be a running back like Adrian Peterson. His high school coach ended up moving him to defensive end, a decision that made him cry.
More:The Pressure Is Really on C.J. Stroud Now
Fortunately for the Texans, Anderson stuck with football and playing defensive end. Since taking him and C.J. Stroud with the No. 2 and No. 3 picks in the 2023 draft, the franchise has turned around, advancing to the divisional round in three consecutive seasons. Now, Anderson is more determined than ever to help the Texans reach the first AFC championship game and Super Bowl in franchise history.
“Ask me about the contract, yeah the contract is cool but ask me about winning, that’s more important,” Anderson said. “How we get over this hump, how we can get past the second round is really what’s been on my mind and I think we did a really good job with free agency going to get a lot of great guys. I’m excited about this year. I know where this team can go, we have the pieces to do it we have the coaching staff to do it, and I’m excited to get rolling and see what we do this year.”
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For now, Anderson can celebrate this achievement, which will allow him to retire his parents early. He might make a splurge for himself too—a speed boat for fishing.
“I’ve been so overwhelmed with joy these last couple days,” Anderson said. “Non-stop tears, it’s been a blessing.”
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EVA GEITHEIM
Eva Geitheim is an NFL writer at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor’s in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or rewatching Gilmore Girls.
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