Will Anderson Jr. Among Three New Texans Captains

The Houston Texans announced Friday afternoon three additional players have been added to their list of captains.

HOUSTON — The Houston Texans announced three additional players who will serve as captains for the 2023 season. Friday afternoon, Will Anderson Jr., Steven Nelson and Robert Woods joined C.J. Stroud, Laremy Tunsil and Jimmie Ward to help represent the Texans.

Anderson joins Stroud on a short list of rookies voted as a captain within their first season in franchise history. 

Coach DeMeco Ryans served as a rookie captain for the Texans in 2006. He finished the season as the league's Defensive Rookie of the Year after recording 155 total tackles and 3.5 sacks in his first 16 games.

"For captains and how we vote on that, that’s strictly the players," Ryans said. "That’s what it’s about, it’s about the players. [It’s] not about the coaches. Players in the locker room know who the leaders are, and that’s how we went about voting for captains.

"I don’t care if you’re a young guy, leadership doesn’t just go to the oldest guy in the room," Ryans said. "It’s about [finding] who is the man that can get others around them to play better."

Anderson became a captain following an impressive debut against the Baltimore Ravens. During the Texans' Week 1 loss, Anderson recorded six tackles and two quarterback hits. Early in the fourth quarter, Lamar Jackson became the quarterback Anderson sacked on an NFL level.

Nelson earned his captaincy after recording the Texans' first takeaway of the season. It came after he picked off Jackson during the Ravens' second drive of the game. Woods made a huge impact in the Texans' passing game with six catches for 57 yards in the loss.

"I’m glad he [Will Anderson Jr.] is on our team," Nelson said. "He’s going to play that right side as much as possible, [so] I want to see the ball come out."