Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. will take the field on Thursday night intent on taking down Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. But the former Alabama All-American also is hoping to raise awareness for a veterans group during the NFL’s Week 12 opening game.
As part of the NFL’s My Cause, My Cleats initiative, Anderson will be wearing shoes highlighting the PTSD Foundation of America’s Camp Hope.
Camp Hope is “a six- to nine-month residential program in Houston that combines peer support, mentorship, job preparation and weekly sessions with licensed healthcare professionals to address the whole person at no cost to veterans or their families.”
Anderson got his first look at his special cleats this week.
“Everything that I’m seeing on this cleat,” Anderson said, “it’s just making me remember that whole day -- some tears, joy, happiness, you know, everything like that. So just seeing these cleats is just bringing back all those memories.
“We have so many veterans that’s homeless or that’s struggling with PTSD, and they’re taking action to help these guys to recover, to get back with their families, to get back in society and really help them, and that really means a lot, not only to me but to the world.”
Anderson told reporters that he had visited Camp Hope before deciding to support the organization by wearing the special cleats during the nationally televised game.
“They have this thing: Take it to the cross,” Anderson said. “Whenever they’re having a bad day or they’re going through something, they have a big cross – like, as soon as you walk in, it’s, like, straight ahead -- and they go to it and they just place their hand on it and they just talk to God and give him any problem that they’re going through that day, which I thought was really cool, especially being a man of faith. …
“It was very emotional because sometimes we look at our lives and be like, ‘Oh, man, this is so hard.’ And then you listen to somebody else that may be losing their family, that may be losing their kids and everything like that, that’s going through addiction. Like, something that we go through is nothing to what these guys who have fought for our country, fought for us and our freedom and everything like that, that they’re going through, so I’m really happy they have a place like that to help those guys.”
Through My Cause, My Cleats, fans can donate to Anderson’s charity choice online.
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Across the NFL, players and coaches will be wearing cleats highlighting non-profit organizations and charitable causes as part of the league’s My Cause, My Cleats campaign.
On Thursday night, Anderson will be seeking to sack Allen, who will be supporting Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo with his shoes.
Anderson did not sack Allen when the Texans and Bills squared off last season. But he did have two quarterback hits as Allen played one of the worst passing games of his career in a 23-20 loss to Houston on Oct. 6. Allen completed 9-of-30 passe for 131 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. Allen also ran four times for 54 yards.
Allen said the Bills will have their “hands full” again against the Texans on Thursday night. Houston has yielded the fewest points and fewest yards in the NFL this season.
“I got beat up that game,” Allen said. “Didn’t play well at all. Watching that film, there’s a lot of good stuff to watch from that film, but it’s hard to watch. I played pretty badly. So yeah, hopefully, we can go out there and play a little bit better and move the ball a little better.”
On Sunday, Allen threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 40 yards and three touchdowns in Buffalo’s 44-32 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“He’s a playmaker,” Anderson said of the NFL’s 2024 MVP. “We have a ton of respect for him. … So for us, I think, it’s just everybody being on the same page, especially us up front. It’s going to be a great challenge for us. But this is what the league is for. This is what these moments are for -- Thursday night game in front of the whole world going against a really great team. How else would you want it?”
The Texans and Bills meet at 7:15 p.m. CST Thursday at NRG Stadium in Houston. Prime Video will televise the game.
After an 0-3 start, the Texans have a 5-5 record as they chase a third straight playoff berth in Anderson’s third season with the team. At 7-3, Buffalo is in the running for a seventh consecutive appearance in the AFC playoffs.
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