"Reunited" Texans Defensive Lineman Will Anderson Jr. And Sheldon Rankins Have A Bond That Can't Be Broken

Texans Defensive Lineman Sheldon Rankins (90) and Will Anderson Jr. (51)

This offseason, the Houston Texans made a move that received little to no attention from the national media when they signed defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins to a one-year deal after he was released by the Cincinnati Bengals. 

Locally, it was a talking point for media members and fans who recalled the impact Rankins had on the defense during the 2023 season, with six sacks, 29 solo tackles, ten quarterback hits, and a forced fumble, recovery, and touchdown. 

But that buzz didn’t last very long, as many people shifted their focus to the upcoming NFL Draft.

However, the signing felt like winning the lottery for third-year defensive end Will Anderson Jr., who relied heavily on Rankins during his rookie season, leading to him being awarded the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and earning a spot in the 2023 Pro Bowl.

As the only son in a family with five older sisters, Anderson always had teammates who felt like brothers to him. So, it was no different when he entered the league, and Rankins, along with former defensive end Jonathan Greenard (Minnesota Vikings), became his big brothers and mentors.

“I was so excited,” said Anderson with a big smile on his face during his press conference back in April about Rankins rejoining the team. “They placed his locker right back next to mine, and I sent him a picture and said, ‘We are so back.’ That is my dog. He was such a great mentor and such a great help for me in my rookie year. To have him back here again, I am excited, and I can’t wait to ball with him again.”

Rankins, who is entering his tenth NFL season, doesn’t often show his emotions off the field, but couldn’t help but smile when the video clip of Anderson was played for him before the interview. 

“Will is my guy,” Rankins said exclusively to Big Sarge Media. “It is the maturation process. As a young guy who was highly drafted as he was, the expectations not only that he places on himself, but comes with being that high draft pick. He is almost seen as initially a ‘Defensive Savior’, so to speak. That comes with a lot of pressure, and being a young guy in this league, you are going to have your ups and downs.”

Anderson, 23, relied on the lessons he learned from Rankins during his absence last season, as the former first-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints signed a two-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals during the offseason. 

As he was heading toward what many believed to be an All-Pro season, having been named AFC Defensive Player of the Month for October, he was injured early in the Week 9 matchup against the New York Jets when running back Breece Hall rolled up on his ankle in the first quarter. Anderson would miss the next two games, something he does not particularly enjoy doing.

“For him, he is an emotional football player,” said Rankins. “He loves it, he bleeds it, and he wears it on his sleeves.”

Anderson used those emotions to help the Texans win their second consecutive AFC South title and advance to the AFC Divisional round of the playoffs, where he had a dominant game, with two sacks, four solo tackles, three tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits in a 23-14 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. 

Even though he was with the Bengals, Rankins observed the type of season Anderson was having like a proud big brother. 

“To watch him continue to grow last year and to see him reap the benefits of the other things that he does on a day-in, day-out basis, it is beautiful,” Rankins said. “To know that he still is scratching the surface and has so much more room to grow.”

Many teammates and coaches share the joy of having Rankins back on the field and in the locker room, recognizing the value he brings to a defensive unit that could become the top-ranked defense by the end of the season. 

“‘Rank’ has been awesome to have around,” defensive coordinator Matt Burke said during his press conference. “It’s so funny, there are so many subtle things he does that probably we didn’t even really notice when he was here. 

“Then, when he left, he was really good at sort of fitting everything together, whether it’s communicating on the line in terms of the rush plan and how we’re setting things up. Or just has a really innate knack for covering up rushes, so it frees up [DE] Danielle [Hunter] and [DE] Will [Anderson Jr.], if they want to take an inside move, or if they have something planned that he just feels they can cover them up, so we’re not exposed. So, really excited to have ‘Rank’ back again, for sure. You can ask me again in six weeks.”