Will Anderson, Jr. is headed to the 2024 Pro Bowl Games.
The No. 3 overall pick in this year's draft, Anderson Jr. finished his rookie season with 13 starts, totaling 45 tackles including 10 tackles for loss, 67 pressures, 7.0 sacks, one pass defensed and one blocked field goal. Anderson's 7.0 sacks this season set a new rookie franchise record for most sacks in a single season and his 67 pressures paced all rookies in the NFL this year.
He turned in arguably his best performance of the season in the Week 13 win against Denver, in which he racked up five tackles (three solo), two sacks, four quarterback hits, two tackles for loss and one pass defensed. Anderson was also disruptive on special teams all throughout the season, but specifically in Week 3 at Jacksonville when he blocked a field goal, becoming the first Texans rookie to block a field goal since J.J. Watt in 2011. Anderson also had a pair of sacks in Week 17 against Tennessee, and a six-tackle game in Week 5 at Atlanta.
Anderson will be the second Texan slated to participate in this year's Pro Bowl alongside T Laremy Tunsil. He is also the first Texans defensive player to make the Pro Bowl since J.J. Watt, Jadeveon Clowney and Benardrick McKinney were selected in 2018. Additionally, Anderson is the third rookie in franchise history to be selected to the Pro Bowl, joining Jerome Mathis (2005) and Brian Cushing (2009).
On Tuesday, he was named the Pro Football Writers of America's Defensive Rookie of the Year for 2023.
Taking place over two days in Orlando, Fla., the skills challenges will be broadcast live on Thursday, Feb. 1, on ESPN from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. ET on the Pro Bowl Skills Show and continue Sunday, Feb. 4, culminating in flag football.
