Tag: dylan thompson

Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. praises Commanders’ hiring of Dylan Thompson

In an exclusive interview with Texans Wire, Will Anderson Jr. gave high praise to the Washington Commanders for hiring former Texans’ director of team development Dylan Thompson

When general manager Adam Peters hired Dylan Thompson away from the Houston Texans for a similar role with the Washington Commanders, he knew he was getting more than just an exceptional employee.

Thompson, who spent three seasons as the Texans’ director of team development, now looks to be the voice of maturity for young players in D.C., like Heisman winner Jayden Daniels and former first-round pick Emmanuel Forbes.

But Thompson was more than just a member of the Texans’ staff. He was a role model and leader who taught the next crop of young talent to better themselves in the pros.

Will Anderson Jr., the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year, personally doesn’t know where he’d be career-wise entering his second season with Thompson’s guidance.

“You see me, there is no Will Anderson without Dylan Thompson, man,” Anderson told Texans Wire in an exclusive interview. “He took our whole rookie class, C.J. [Stroud] can attest to the same thing. He’ll say the same thing. Tank [Dell] would say the same thing. He helped this rookie class be able to do so many great things on and off the field.”

Anderson, who broke J.J. Watt’s rookie sack record en route to helping Houston clinch its first division title in four years, credits Thompson more for his off-the-field pep talks than on-field encouragement.

Anderson and Stroud each have pointed to their faith as inspiration on and off the field. Thompson invested in the young Texans’ players with bible study and focus on life away from the sport.

“For him, it was always just bigger than the football. He was like, ‘I can really care less about the football Will. I just want to know the person, the human Will. Like, who are you outside of football? ‘” Anderson said. “Spiritually, he was great. Like, he connected us even more with God, taught us how to be great leaders, how to change our mindset things like that.”

In his new role, Thompson will oversee all players, specifically first and second-year prospects, as they acclimate to the NFL. A former college quarterback at South Carolina who spent time with the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams following graduation, Thompson knows the struggles of transition from college practice to NFL days.

Stroud, who won Offensive Rookie of the Year after breaking every rookie quarterback record in franchise history, credited Thompson for his growth externally in Year 1.

“You talk about a brother like to somebody who loves you no matter what happens on that field, you can feel that,” Stroud said earlier this offseason. “I just appreciate that and now he’s going to be mad at me, but, man, he’s a great person, and really one of the reasons why I feel like we were very successful this year.”

Will Anderson’s off-field commitment shines during USAA’s “Huddle Up for Hurricane Prep”

In a partnership with USAA, Houston Texans DE Will Anderson Jr. is helping out with Hurricane Season.

Houston Texans defensive end Will Anderson Jr. will be the first to admit that discussing hurricane season can be an uncharted territory of conversation. 

“Being from Georgia, I didn’t know anything about hurricanes like that because we don’t really experience them, but seeing that they’re taking matters like this to spread awareness to help the community, to help them prepare the right way to help them come up with the plan, it’s really special,” Anderson told Texans Wire in an exclusive interview earlier this month.

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The NFL’s reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year partnered with USAA and their ‘Huddle up for Hurricane Prep’ initiative to raise awareness around preparing for hurricane season in Houston.

It was an issue that instantly caught his attention after being drafted third overall out of the University of Alabama.

“It’s really the last couple of months, honestly,” Anderson said of the partnership with USAA. “Like I said, just been to see different things that happen in the state and be able to say, OK, there’s something I want to be a part of. There’s something that I think will help benefit people. That’s what I really want to do.

“I got to meet some amazing leaders of this, you know, this beautiful country, the local Coast Guard, of course, Harris County Office of Emergency and Management. To be able to be here and be able to help give back to our community, it’s really a blessing.”

Anderson, who has retired family members who served in the military, considered it an “incredible opportunity” to work with the NFL’s Official Salute to Service Partner as they were able to offer wide-ranging advice on how to prepare for the hurricane season from pets to insurance coverage.

“We just want to take the right precautions to make sure everybody prepares the right way,” he said. “They have a plan, going to the grocery store, making sure that you have a first-aid kit if anything happens because the weather can change at any moment and also make sure that we’re not leaving any pets behind, making sure you have great insurance and everything like that.”

Since arriving in Houston, Anderson has made it a mission to be impactful in the community as much as he is on the field. He’s not the only Texans rookie willing to give back to the city that selected him, either.

Last month, quarterback C.J. Stroud was seen helping clean up around the community following a massive storm that left nearly a million Houstonians without power.

 

Houston expected Anderson to be a home run hit when it moved up every aspect when they traded up nine spots last April.

It’s hard to argue that he’s delivered anything less as the rookie emerges as one of the NFL’s premier edge rushers and one of the Houston community’s faces.

Texans QB C.J. Stroud raves about new Commanders hire Dylan Thompson

C.J. Stroud and Will Anderson recall how important Dylan Thompson was to them last season.

The Washington Commanders made another impressive hire on Monday. This time, general manager Adam Peters made a hire that directly impacts his rookie class, specifically quarterback Jayden Daniels.

Washington hired Houston Texans director of team development Dylan Thompson for a similar role. The Commanders parted ways with Malcolm Bracken earlier this offseason. Bracken had served as Washington’s senior director of player development.

Let’s briefly explain the role. First, it’s not a front-office move or a coaching move. In this role, Thompson is responsible for helping all players, specifically younger players, acclimate to the NFL. A former college quarterback at South Carolina, Thompson made a positive impact on last year’s NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, C.J. Stroud, with the Texans.

According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 in Houston, here’s what Stroud said about Thompson last year.

“I think I grew tremendously, man,” said Stroud. “I know he’s going to be mad at me for this, Dylan Thompson. Oh my gosh, Dylan is one of the best human beings that I’ve ever met in my life. There’s a ton of people, great people in this organization, but DT has been the main person.

More from Stroud on Thompson.

“You talk about a brother like to somebody who loves you no matter what happens on that field, you can feel that. I just appreciate that and now he’s going to be mad at me, but, man, he’s a great person, and really one of the reasons why I feel like we were very successful this year.”

Stroud said this without anyone asking about Thompson specifically. That’s how much Stroud valued Thompson. Houston’s other top-five draft from 2023, edge rusher Will Anderson, was also positively impacted by Thompson.

Anderson offered similar sentiments on Thompson and how important he was to him and Houston’s other rookies.

Washington is often compared to Houston as a best-case scenario.  A new coach, a dynamic young quarterback selected No. 2 overall, and a last-place team heading into a new season. A phenomenal rookie class played a massive role in the Texans’ turnaround, led by Stroud.

The Commanders’ exciting rookie class enters the 2024 season, led by quarterback Jayden Daniels, the team’s No. 2 overall pick. The hiring of Thompson is another case where Peters is doing everything possible to help Daniels. Thompson worked with current Washington general manager Lance Newmark in Detroit and is quite familiar with him.

While no one knows how next season will turn out for the Commanders, Thompson’s hiring is another case of Peters and Newmark being ahead of the game in support of Daniels and their rookie class.

Commanders to hire former NFL quarterback as director of player development

Adam Peters makes another impressive hire.

Washington Commanders general manager Adam Peters continues to raid other organizations for top talent. On Monday, Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 (Click 2 Houston) Houston reported that Washington was hiring Houston Texans director of team development Dylan Thompson for a similar role in the organization.

Thompson, 32, played college football at South Carolina under former Washington coach Steve Spurrier from 2010-14. The Boiling Springs, S.C., native appeared in 36 games for the Gamecocks, completing 58% of his passes for 5,401 yards, with 40 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

In 2015, he signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Francisco 49ers. After Colin Kaepernick went down for the season with an injury, he spent some time on San Francisco’s 53-man roster. The 49ers released him after the season, and he signed with the Los Angeles Rams. He spent the 2016 training camp with the Rams before he was cut.

In 2017, Thompson accepted a position for the Charleston-Southern men’s basketball team as the director of player development. He received his first NFL gig in 2018 when the Detroit Lions hired him as the team’s character coach until he landed with the Houston Texans in 2021.

With Houston, Thompson was the director of team development. In that role, Thompson helped the rookie class or any young player adjust to life in the NFL off the field. This could involve educating the players or spending time with them off the field to help make their transition to the NFL much smoother.

Washington let its former senior director of player development, Malcolm Bracken, go earlier this offseason, and Thompson will fill that role.

Report: Texans director of team development Dylan Thompson hired by Commanders

Dylan Thompson, the Houston Texans director of team development, is headed to the NFC East after three seasons in the Lone Star State.

Dylan Thompson is getting his shot elsewhere.

Thompson, who spent the past three seasons as the Houston Texans director of team development, has been hired by the Washington Commanders for a similar role, according to KPRC2 Sports Aaron Wilson.

Thompson has been regarded for his work ethic, passion and attentiveness with players since being hired by Houston. The South Carolina native was influential in Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud’s progression and maturation from rookie to rising star.

“Dylan is one of the best human beings that I’ve ever met in my life,” Stroud said of Thompson earlier this offseason. “There’s a ton of people, great people in this organization, but DT has been the main person.

“You talk about a brother like to somebody who loves you no matter what happens on that field, you can feel that. I just appreciate that and now he’s going to be mad at me, but, man, he’s a great person, and really one of the reasons why I feel like we were very successful this year.”

Thompson, 32, joined the Texans in 2021 under then-executive vice president of football operations Jack Easterby. He was known for developing player’s characteristics as they transitioned from college to the pros.

Before joining the Texans, Thompson served as the director of player development at Charleston Southern following stints with the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams.

A two-year starter at South Carolina, Thompson led the SEC with 3,574 passing yards, and totaled 26 touchdowns in his senior season. For his career, he threw for 5,401 yards, 40 touchdowns and 16 interceptions.

“There is no Will Anderson without Dylan Thompson,” defensive end Will Anderson recently told Texans Wire’s John Crumpler.”

Texans to hire ex-Lions coach Dylan Thompson as a character coach

Thompson was the Lions character coach for the last three seasons

The Houston Texans will hire Dylan Thompson to be the team’s new character coach. It’s a role Thompson has held with the Detroit Lions for the last three years. Several reports out of Houston indicate the hiring is imminent.

Thompson was brought in by the Bob Quinn/Matt Patricia regime to help in various off-field duties with players. The Lions defined Thompson’s role like this,

Thompson is responsible for a variety of programs within team development, where he assists athletes with their transition into the NFL, as well as providing off-the-field support both during and following their careers.

He figures to do similar things in Houston, which has a former character coach in Jack Easterby pulling the strings within the organization.

Thompson played quarterback at South Carolina and had a brief run behind Jared Goff with the Los Angeles Rams before moving into coaching.

Report: Texans hire former Detroit Lions character coach Dylan Thompson

The Houston Texans are hiring former Detroit Lions character coach Dylan Thompson.

The Houston Texans made another addition to their staff.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, the Texans have hired former Detroit Lions character coach Dylan Thompson.

Thompson previously had been the character coach for the Detroit Lions since 2018, the first year of coach Matt Patricia, who was fired with five games to go in the 2020 season. Thompson also served as the director of player development for Charleston Southern’s men’s basketball team.

Prior to getting into the character-coaching business, Thompson went undrafted in 2015 out of South Carolina where he played quarterback. He caught on with the San Francisco 49ers under coach Jim Tomsula, and he spent the 2016 training camp and preseason with the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams brought back Thompson for organized team activities in May of 2017, but he was subsequently released.