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Will Anderson Jr., Texans DE: Places His Boast in God Alone

Will Anderson Jr., Texans DE: Places His Boast in God Alone

Last updated on: September 8, 2026 at 12:00 pm by Electi A Deo

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Will Anderson Jr., Texans DE: Places His Boast in God Alone 2026-09-08T05:46:49-04:00 Electi A Deo

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Will Anderson Jr., at the 2023 NFL Combine.

Will Anderson Jr. at the 2023 NFL Combine. Photo credit: Tennessee Titans via Wikimedia Commons.

Will Anderson Jr

A Fierce & Faithful Competitor

Will Anderson Jr is a leader and dominant member of the Houston Texans’ defensive line. After a disappointing end to the 2025 season, Will looks to help the Texans be the best team in the National Football League (NFL).

Along with being a fierce competitor, he’s also serious about his religious beliefs. Below, I’ll reveal several ways he boasts in God alone and displays his faith. Additionally, I’ll highlight his upbringing and journey to the NFL

The Anderson Family

Will Anderson’s Parents and Siblings

Will Anderson Jr. was born September 2, 2001, in Hampton, Georgia. He is the only son and youngest child of Tereon and Will Anderson Sr. Tereon and Will Sr. also have five daughters: Shawnta, Endia, Shanice, Chyna, and Teria.

Tereon and Will Sr.’s ability to raise six kids comes from their professional resumes, academic accomplishments, and athletic experience. According to LinkedIn, Tereon currently works as a Revenue Cycle Specialist and has skills in customer service management and Microsoft Office software. She also has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Mercer University.

Similarly, Will Sr. attended the University of Tennessee and played defensive back for the Volunteers. After college, he served the community as a paramedic and firefighter.

Core Values

As professionals with strong college experience, the Andersons stressed the importance of hard work through making good grades. While their high school grades aren’t public, we know Will Jr. did enough to earn a scholarship to the University of Alabama. At Alabama, he made the Dean’s List his freshman year and earned a communications degree from Alabama in three years.

Along with demonstrating a great work ethic in the classroom, the Andersons also expected their children to excel athletically. Their daughters meet these expectations by playing basketball, softball, volleyball, and running track.

Will follows in his sisters’ footsteps by playing basketball before becoming a fierce competitor on the football field. In fact, he credits them for physically and mentally molding him. Though often critical of his play, Will understands their desire to push him to become and consistently display the best of his athletic ability.

A Foundation of Faith for Will Anderson & His Family

While being great students and athletes are among many goals parents want their children to achieve, they’re useless without character. Knowing this, Tereon taught and still reminds her children to show everyone respect.

Another way to say respect everyone is “do to others as you would have them do to you” (Luke 6:31, New International Version). This quote reveals the biblical foundation upholding the Andersons’ core values.

The Andersons are devout Christians who love to express their faith publicly. Will’s mother, Tereon, praises God on their Threads account. For Tereon and Will Sr., regular church attendance was a non-negotiable for their children.

While Will’s parents made church mandatory, he gets his servant-like heart from his late grandmother, Betty. She taught Will and his sisters the importance of serving others through

Volunteering with Habitat for Humanity and Meals on Wheels.
Mowing lawns.
Holding the offering plates at church.

Like many kids who attend church regularly, Will liked to mimic the preacher during family gatherings. He’d wear a black robe, put a tissue around his neck to represent a minister’s collar, and deliver a mock sermon.

While entertaining, Will didn’t know God was using these humorous moments to help him become comfortable boasting about the Lord.

Will Anderson Boast in the Lord

Learning to Be Strong and Courageous on the Field

Will Anderson has become comfortable sharing his faith because of Joshua 1:9. In the verse, God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous, knowing that He will be with him wherever he goes. Will learns the truth of this scripture when he first starts playing football.

Will admits he didn’t like football at first because he was always getting knocked down. After enduring a serve hit from one of his teammates during practice, Will was determined to dominate opponents. This newfound courage helped him become a major factor in Dutchtown High School’s defensive scheme.

During his Junior year, he had his breakout game against Jones County High School

Pressuring the quarterback into throwing an interception.
Closing the match with the game-winning sack.
Acquiring 5 total sacks during the contest.

Will’s play helped him lead the Bulldogs to a 35-12 record during his time with the program. While a complete list of Will’s statistics with Dutchtown is unavailable, researchers know he was a 5-star recruit out of high school.

Will Anderson Joins the Crimson Tide

Interestingly, he may have revisited Joshua 1:9 after an ugly start to his career with the Alabama Crimson Tide. During the first five games of the 2020 season, the 6’4, 243-pound linebacker had one tackle. I’m sure the pressure of underperforming was mentally taxing, but I’m certain faith fueled his fire to keep competing.

Thankfully, he earned seven sacks over the next four games. His freshman year concluded with 60 pressures in 13 games, more than any other Crimson Tide player from 2016-2019.

In addition to getting 60 pressures, Will and the Crimson Tide also won the 2021 National Championship his freshman year.

Over his career, Will also earned the following totals

41 games played.
205 combined tackles
62 tackles for loss
34 sacks.
5 passes defended.
1 forced fumble.
1 interception returned for a touchdown.

These statistics helped him earn several accolades, like being

A Bednarik Award recipient as the nation’s top defender.
A 2x All-American
The 2x Bronko Nagurski Trophy Winner.
The 2020 Shaun Alexander FWAA Freshman of the Year.
A 2x SEC Defensive Player of the Year ( 2021, 22).

The Houston Texans Faith-Based Culture

Earning impressive awards like SEC Defensive Player of the Year made Will a valuable choice for any NFL team. So valuable, in fact, the Houston Texans selected him with the third pick in the 2023 Draft immediately after taking C.J. Stroud with the second pick.

On the surface, these selections seem like attempts to acquire young stars who can help the Texans build a bright future. While true, choosing these players along with several others on their roster shows the Texans have built and hope to maintain a faith-based culture.

Will Anderson fits right in with this culture on draft night, displaying John 3:16 on the cuffs of his shirt. From the start, he’s been intent on using his stardom to share God and the Gospel with everyone.

He’s also known for praying and glorifying God during press conferences. One instance occurred during a public appearance about his new $150 million contract extension. Instead of boasting about how his individual efforts helped him become the highest non-quarterback in league history, he thanked God.

His boasting comes from knowing that the Lord has given him the ability to play football. He also knows God “extends lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth” (Jeremiah 9:23-24, New King Version).

More About Will Anderson’s Faith & Play

Along with the confidence to boast in God publicly, Will also dares to be vulnerable and share his faith with the Texans organization. He’s been known to ask staff members to pray with and for him.

Additionally, he models Matthew 5:16 and 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 by forging a friendship with Islamic teammate Alzeez Al-Shaair. Despite having different religious beliefs, the two defensive stars talk about everything. They hold one another accountable and help each other prepare for games through pregame talks.

Will has earned Alzeez’s trust because of his religious devotion, character, and play on the field. In three seasons with the Texans, Will has played in 46 games and has acquired the following stats

136 combined tackles.
97 pressures.
64 quarterback hits.
46 tackles for loss.
30 sacks
4 forced fumbles.
3 fumble recoveries
1 fumble returned for a touchdown.

He’s added to these totals with 6 playoff appearances, earning

17 tackles
13 pressures.
11 quarterback hits.
8 tackles for loss.
8 sacks.
3 forced fumbles.

His on-field play and willingness to share his faith with the media have created opportunities to share it off the field. He takes heed to Hebrews 13:3 by remembering to visit those in prison. He’s overwhelmed by their hope in Jesus Christ, realizing all they have left to hold on to is their faith.

Spending time with prisoners may have contributed to him creating the Will Anderson Foundation. Through this nonprofit, Will gives back to Houston with various youth sports camps and community drives.

He hopes bearing the community’s burdens will improve lives, while compelling people to place their faith in and boast in the Lord.

Thank You!

Thank you for reading the latest post from the Electi A Deo Experience! Feel free to leave a comment and share this article with someone you know. Be blessed and have a great day!

Sports and Religion

Alabama Crimson Tide

C.J. Stroud and Alzeez Al-Shaair

Houston Texans

Jeremiah 9:23-24

Will Anderson Jr

Will Anderson Jr Foundation

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