The Houston Texans didn’t just lose to the New York Jets on the road this week, but lost both of their 2023 first-round rookies to fourth-quarter injuries. Quarterback C.J. Stroud sustained a concussion and is now in concussion protocol. On top of Stroud’s injury, defensive end Will Anderson Jr. suffered a high-ankle sprain.
Anderson Jr. now can be added to the list of players hurt in part because of the turf at MetLife Stadium. Anderson Jr. joins an unfortunate list of players to get injured at MetLife, including Aaron Rodgers and Jaelan Phillips, who both tore their achilles. Anderson Jr.’s injury is not to that level of severity, but he is currently in a walking boot and not expected to play this weekend, via Aaron Wilson of Click2Houston.
The No. 3 overall pick out of Alabama has five sacks and 42 tackles so far in his rookie season. He had one of his best games games a couple weeks ago against the Denver Broncos, when he put up two sacks, a pass breakup, two tackles for loss and seven pressures on Russell Wilson.
Coach DeMeco Ryans knows that Will Anderson Jr. is affecting the game even more outside of the kind of numbers he put up against the Broncos. “It’s not about just this one game; Will has done this all year. I think now he gets the spotlight because of the numbers or the sacks, and those things, but that’s who he has been all year, and that’s what I’m most proud of. He’s been consistent,” via Click2Houston.
The good news is his production outside of the stat sheet has not gone unnoticed outside of Houston. Anderson Jr. is currently tied with Seattle cornerback Devon Witherspoon as the second-leading favorite to win the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.
More must-reads: