Will Anderson Jr. Lands Record 3-Year, $150 Million Texans Deal as Defense Eyes Super Bowl
Updated
Updated · Sports Illustrated · Aug 19
Will Anderson Jr. Lands Record 3-Year, $150 Million Texans Deal as Defense Eyes Super Bowl
1 articles · Updated · Sports Illustrated · Aug 19
Summary
Will Anderson Jr. secured a league-record three-year, $150 million extension after posting a career-high 12 sacks and finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Houston is betting that investment on a defense that rebounded from a 3-5 start to win its final nine games last season and finished the year with the NFL's third-fewest yards allowed.
That unit is built around Anderson and Danielle Hunter, who combined for 27 sacks and 45 quarterback hits in 2025 and will collect $65.6 million in cash this season.
DeMeco Ryans and coordinator Matt Burke have framed the group's goal as more than statistical greatness, warning that elite defenses are quickly forgotten without a Super Bowl run.
At 24, Anderson has become the emotional center of that push, with teammates and coaches citing his relentless preparation, leadership and faith as setting the Texans' standard.