Former Bengals Tackle Willie Anderson Schedules March 3 Kidney Transplant in Atlanta

Overview

• Anderson, 50, disclosed a decade-long fight with kidney disease that has recently worsened, with his GFR falling to about 5.
• He was listed for transplants at Duke University and Emory University last summer and was not on dialysis when his GFR remained above the usual threshold.
• Family and friends were tested as potential donors before his girlfriend was identified as a compatible match.
• He says he plans to resume coaching and training high school linemen at his Willie Anderson Lineman Academy after recovery.
• NFL figures including Terrell Owens and Torry Holt, along with fans, have shared support, and Anderson is urging young athletes to be cautious about frequent painkillers and blood-pressure drugs based on what he says he learned from doctors.