Will Anderson: New contract isn't pressure, it's opportunity

Player mentions

Article text

Texans defensive end Will Anderson left no doubt about his expectations for the 2026 season when he spoke to reporters at OTAs last week. Anderson said that the Texans "most definitely" have Super Bowl aspirations after advancing to the divisional round of the playoffs the last three seasons and that they "want to be a household name defense" as they make that run. Anderson received a massive contract extension to be the leader of both of those efforts earlier this offseason and he was asked if he feels more pressure to produce as a result of that pact. “No, honestly, it didn’t add any pressure ," Anderson said. "I kind of changed my mind when I look at pressure. I always say, it's not pressure, it's an opportunity. It's an opportunity to go out and continue to be yourself. I think now the only thing that's risen is I want to hit that next stage of my game, not because of the contract, but because I owe it to myself because I know how much hard work I've put in. I know what I've put into this game, so that's what I want for myself. It's really nothing about the money, it's just about the work that you're putting in, the preparation and the process." It's not hard to imagine Anderson making a run at winning defensive player of the year while at the forefront of one of the league's top units, but the Texans' bigger goals will take contributions on both sides of the ball. His fellow 2023 first-rounder C.J. Stroud will be central to the offensive side and his bid for an extension of his own is another case of opportunity knocking in Houston.