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Will Anderson shouts out Nick Saban using 'rat poison' catchphrase during Scott Van Pelt, ESPN interview

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh01/13/26griffin_mcveigh

For the second time in his short career, Will Anderson is advancing in the playoffs. Monday brought a Houston Texans win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road. Anderson, as usual, played a huge role and disrupted anything Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers’ offense attempted to do.

Once celebrations died down, Anderson made his way back onto the field for an interview with ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt. A question popped up about playing for DeMeco Ryans, wondering what one of the coach’s main messages is. Anderson then turned back the vault a little bit, saying Ryan may have picked something up from Nick Saban.

“It’s not taking the rat poison, not taking the rat poison,” Anderson said on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt. “Coach Saban, if you see this, we’re not taking the rat poison, Coach. We’re not taking the rat poison.”

Saban made the term “rat poison” famous during his time at Alabama. Basically, when somebody is speaking highly of you, letting that thought continually enter your mind is overall bad. Staying humble and to the process was Saban’s goal, hoping the same trickled down throughout his teams.

Anderson played in Tuscaloosa for three seasons, winning a national championship. His numbers under Saban are gaudy, as an instant impact was made as a true freshman. There have been plenty of elite defensive players to come through Alabama — Ryans included — but Anderson is certainly up there with one of the best all-time.

Terms and mentality learned from the college game are now translating well at the next level. Plenty of people are high on the Houston defense, believing it’s one of the best units in the NFL. If there is going to be more playoff success for the Texans, the defense likely is going to be a major reason why. Staying away from the rat poison factors in too.

“You talk about a guy who loves challenges and who loves the process,” Anderson said of Ryans. “His mentality, wants to get better. ‘How can we overcome that challenge?’ That’s something I take with me. Every day is going to be a challenge that’s presented to you. Every game is going to be a challenge that’s presented to you. Every season is going to be different. How can you overcome that challenge? And that’s the great thing about football.”

Houston will once again hit the road, facing the New England Patriots. A win would send them to the franchise’s first-ever AFC Championship.