J.J. Watt Had Telling Reaction to Texans' Will Anderson Jr. Deal

The Houston Texans' legend reacted to the latest reported extension for Will Anderson.

Oct 1, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Former Houston Texans player J.J. Watt speaks to the crowd after being inducted into the Texans Ring of Honor during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Texans locked in one of their top stars for now and in the future with a new extension for All-Pro edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., as he was signed to a three-year, $150 million deal on Friday to cement his future with the franchise through the 2030 season.

It's news that everyone around the organization can appreciate. Anderson has found his way into becoming an exemplary franchise leader and culture-setter, along with being one of the best players in the NFL at his respective position. It's tough to find many more players more deserving of a payday like he just landed.

The deal is also an agreement that Texans legend J.J. Watt appears to be on board with as well, who posted a short and sweet reaction to the report on his X account.

"Earned. Deserved. 🤘🏼"

Earned. Deserved.

🤘🏼

— JJ Watt (@JJWatt) April 17, 2026

J.J. Watt Supports Gives Nod of Approval for Will Anderson Deal

There's no one in Texans history who can match up to similar standards of Anderson than the best defender to suit up for the franchise across 25 years. And when asked about Houston's decision to put pen to paper on a $150 million deal for the 24-year-old, his stance is clear.

During Anderson's third season with the Texans in 2025, he put together career-best production with 12.0 sacks, 54 combined tackles, 20 for loss, and three forced fumbles to find his way to a first-career All-Pro nod, and now, the biggest salary in NFL history for a non-quarterback.

Jan 12, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. (51) leaves the field following an AFC Wild Card Round win against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

While $150 million is historically steep contract for any player, and has some implied risk, the expensive deal for Anderson is notably calculated by the Texans' brass. And really, it's one that's far from a poor investment to make.

Considering the price for top-tier talent on the defensive side is only going up with every passing season, it was only a matter of time before the bill was due on an All-Pro talent like Anderson to become one of the top-paid guys at his position.

Less than a year ago, it was the Green Bay Packers and Micah Parsons resetting the edge rusher market at over $46 million AAV, and now, Anderson is the next in line to do the same. That only became more likely when factoring in the Texans' recent history of opening the wallet for their stars.

Houston is no stranger to paying out top-tier money for elite talents at their respective positions, considering they also paid out record-breaking deals to both cornerback Derek Stingley and kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn over the past two offseasons.

This go-around, the stakes are a bit higher. Though, at the same time, the investment also feels like a safe bet for as long as Anderson is playing at his current level; something that feels like it'll continue for a long time, as he's only 24 coming off the best year of his career.

Needless to be said, exciting times are brewing for the Texans' future, a statement even a five-time All-Pro and future Hall of Fame talent like J.J. Watt would likely tend to agree with.

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