Longtime Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Willie Anderson has undergone a successful kidney transplant. Now, he is well on his way to recovery.
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Anderson revealed the news with a post on social media. He recorded a video from his hospital bed and said that "God is great" and that everything went well with his surgery. He also posted a video showing him walking the hospital halls with some assistance.
"I'm a little sore," Anderson said. "They took me to ICU because my pressure was up. My pressure is coming down now."
My Lady is the strongest person I know . She woke me up tickling my feet out of surgery . She knows I hate that. I knew it was her when I awoke . My brother and ex business partner Laderick Odom my bro Pastor Floyd Walker from Cincinnati Lisa McCall my business manager have been… pic.twitter.com/tFW7T4RV54
— Willie Anderson (@BigWillie7179) March 5, 2026
Anderson added that his family and friends were at the hospital taking care of him. He noted that his new kidney is working great and that his old kidney is still actually working.
"I'm peeing like a race horse," Anderson said with a smile and a laugh.
According to the New York Post, Anderson's longtime girlfriend served as the kidney donor for this procedure.
This surgery followed a significant update from the longtime member of the Bengals, who is in the team's Ring of Honor. He posted a video on Feb. 20 and revealed that he had been diagnosed with kidney disease 10 years ago.
He said that the disease had gotten worse despite his efforts to lose weight and make the situation better. Anderson ultimately had to undergo surgery.
Photo credit: Getty Images
A former member of the Auburn roster, Anderson entered the NFL as a first-round pick in the 1996 NFL Draft. He spent the overwhelming majority of his career (1996-2007) with the Cincinnati Bengals while starting 173 of the 181 games in which he played.
The big man earned four trips to the Pro Bowl during the tail end of his career. He also earned First-Team All-Pro honors in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
Anderson's final season in the NFL came with the Baltimore Ravens. He appeared in 14 games, starting 11, while protecting rookie quarterback Joe Flacco.
This team went 11-5 in the regular season and then reached the AFC championship after defeating the Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans in the wild-card round and divisional round, respectively. Anderson's career ultimately ended with an AFC championship loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
