NEWNow you can listen to Pak Gazette articles!
Will Anderson Jr. has had high expectations since the Houston Texans traded up for the third pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he has lived up to the hype.
After winning Defensive Rookie of the Year, he has posted back-to-back double-digit sack seasons and is a key component of a well-prepared defense.
The 16.5 points per game Houston allows is the lowest in the league, and has once again put them right in the middle of the AFC South race.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PakGazette.Com
Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. leaves the field after defeating the Buffalo Bills at NRG Stadium. (Troy Taormina/Image Images)
Anderson was a division champion in each of his first two seasons, and his defense may be the main reason they can achieve a third.
The third-year star gives all the credit to his head coach, former linebacker DeMeco Ryans.
“It’s a testament to Coach DeMeco and the culture he brought here and the culture he built,” Anderson told Pak Gazette Digital in a recent interview. “The way he played defense and the way he expects his defense to play, he’s brought people here, from coaches to players who can run the defense he wants. It’s just a testament to the guys he brought in, we all fit together really well, we share the same mentality, and when you share the same mentality, good things happen.”
Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) celebrates after scoring a touchdown on a Seattle Seahawks fumble in the second half of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 20, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
AARON JUDGE, JAXSON DART, JALEN BRUNSON AMONG NEW YORK SPORTS FIGURES WHO WILL RECEIVE VOTES IN THE RACE FOR NEW YORK MAYOR
Anderson hopes to bring positive vibes to the field from his help in the community. With the help of Raising Cane’s, he attended a Boys & Girls Club in Houston to deliver bikes and helmets to celebrate the holiday season.
“It’s a blessing and I just thank God, man. He has blessed me with this platform and to be able to be a servant and give back in my community. Single parent homes, two parent homes, grandparents raising kids, it doesn’t matter, man. Everyone needs to feel love this holiday season. So being able to partner with Raising Cane’s and the Boys & Girls Club, it’s been a blessed feeling,” Anderson said.
“I remember my first bike and I wanted the opportunity to help these kids get their first bike. I have a lot of nieces and nephews, so it’s been amazing to see all the smiles, joy and joy on all the kids’ faces as they get their new bikes and ride them at the gym.”
A division win would surely bring even more smiles to the faces of those same kids, and the final stretch begins this Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Will Anderson Jr. teamed up with Raising Cane’s to hand out gifts at a local Boys & Girls Club. (Raising the cane)
“Entering this playoff fight that we have is a blessing,” he said. “I’m really excited about the challenge ahead of us. We just have to keep executing the fundamentals, man, taking it one day at a time. Keep playing our brand of football and just raising our standard of who we are as a team, and just playing to our standards.”
