Micah Parsons Headlines Congratulations for Will Anderson Jr.’s Historic $50M Salary

Will Anderson Jr. was not the Houston Texans' best pass rusher, but his overall game is a major reason that defense wreaks havoc.

Micah Parsons Headlines Congratulations for Will Anderson Jr.’s Historic $50M Salary

Micah Parsons and Will Anderson Jr. (Image via ClutchPoints/Kalshi Football/X)

In Short
  • Micah Parsons congratulated Will Anderson Jr. on his record-setting $150M contract extension.
  • Anderson's deal makes him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, with $134M guaranteed.
  • Reactions to the contract were mixed, with some praising Anderson while others questioned the value of the deal.

Micah Parsons is not the typical NFL superstar who tends to shade his peers, especially since the league has standout pass rushers such as Myles Garrett, TJ Watt, Aidan Hutchinson, Will Anderson Jr., and others.

Gone are the days when athletes used to show jealousy and use it to drive themselves to be better than others. But nowadays, fewer players resort to such methods.

Sure, the Garrett and Watt rivalry has created headlines over the past several years, and the two continued it during their contract negotiations.

Thankfully, that motivation drove them into signing record-setting deals as non-quarterbacks. But if one were to ask them privately, the two superstar pass rushers may respect each other’s game.

Parsons does that too, as he has supported Garrett in his quest to notch a new single-season sack record, or when the Defensive Player of the Year is up for grabs.

He recognizes and respects his peers, and that is why he has always trumped up fellow pass rushers. One of them, Will Anderson Jr., just managed to obliterate the non-quarterback salary record Parsons holds.

The Texans and All-Pro edge Will Anderson Jr. have agreed on a blockbuster, 3-year, $150M extension with $134M guaranteed to make him the NFL’s highest paid non-QB ever.

Ian Rapoport revealed on X

This means that the Houston Texans’ star will be the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, at least until someone else surpasses that number.

Will Anderson Jr. gets praise for resetting the market

As soon as the news reached social media, Micah Parsons was one of the first to congratulate Will Anderson Jr. Nothing makes him happier than fellow players getting what they deserve.

Even though some fans were surprised by the Texans giving that money to someone who hasn’t come close to being as dominant as the Packers’ superstar or any of the top-tier pass rushers, most were happy with this news. Check out examples of those reactions below.

Micah Parsons and Will Anderson Jr. are expected to clash sometime during the 2026 season. When that time comes, the media and fans will be looking for their first exchange after the former’s appreciation post.

Will Anderson Jr. does not excite Skip Bayless

While Will Anderson Jr. got his praise once the contract news dropped, not everyone was pleased with this news. A certain Skip Bayless said this about the Texans’ star while on The Arena.

Texans star Will Anderson Jr.
Texans star Will Anderson Jr. (Image via BR Gridiron/X)

Will Anderson has not been box office for me. I don’t turn on the TV thinking, oh I get to watch Will Anderson rush the passer today.

Skip Bayless said

The veteran analyst agreed that the 24-year-old does a lot of things the right way, and his consistent effort on one side of the line helps fellow pass rusher Danielle Hunter feast on the other.

However, he is not sure that the $50 million a year should be the number someone with just 12 sacks should get, not at least in this era of good-to-great pass rushers.

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