The relationship between superstar pass-rusher Will Anderson Jr. and former Alabama football coach Nick Saban sure is a special one. Plenty of Crimson Tide fans still remember the emotional scene at the NFL Draft when Anderson heard his name called by the Texans and hugged Saban with all his might.
Anderson was the textbook definition of a Tide playmaker, turning heads throughout his career in Tuscaloosa. It wasn't always business between him and Saban, though. This week in New Orleans, Anderson spoke with FanSided courtesy of Jif Peanut Butter and shared the lighter side of Saban for everyone to enjoy.
“Nick Saban was actually a big joker,” Anderson said with a smile in New Orleans. “He was fun, man. I loved playing for Nick. He’ll have his little jokes here and there. I remember one time I got hurt and they had me out for a long time - we were in the fourth quarter - and he looked at me and started laughing. He said, ‘How long is a low-ankle sprain going to take for you to get back out there Will Anderson?’”
Will Anderson is thriving early on in his career with the Houston Texans
Anderson was a joy to watch for 'Bama, with Saban and Co. loving every big play he posted. During the 2020 season, he helped the Tide win the National Championship. That campaign, he was a monster in the trenches for Saban, finishing with seven sacks and 52 total tackles. Then in 2021, Anderson was out of this world, posting 101 total tackles and 17.5 sacks.
His last campaign came in 2022, with him adding 10 more sacks. The Texans ended up trading up for Anderson, taking him with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. In his first year with Houston, he was named Defensive Rookie of the Year thanks to his seven sacks.
Then this past campaign, 11 sacks were posted. Yeah, Houston fans have been loving what they're seeing out of the youngster thus far. Head coach DeMeco Ryans has also spoken highly of his standout, and it turns out a discussion they had shortly after Houston drafted Anderson helped take a lot of the pressure off:
“It was a little crazy (getting drafted) because I heard there were a lot of expectations and stuff like that. They give up this (to get me),” Anderson told FanSided. “When I sat in the office with Coach Ryans, he was just like, ‘man, there are no expectations. You don’t have to come in here and be a superhero. You don’t have to do anything out of the ordinary, just be Will Anderson. That’s why we drafted you.’”
Hearing those words from Ryans meant a ton to Anderson, who has paid his head coach back in the best way possible with his first two years being so impressive. It's safe to say both Saban and Ryans are proud of the work he's getting done. The exact same can be said for Alabama and Texans supporters everywhere.