List of National Football League annual sacks leaders

This is a list of National Football League (NFL) players who have led the regular season in sacks each year. Sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Michael Strahan of the New York Giants and T. J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers hold the record with 22.5, which Strahan had during the 2001 season, and Watt during the 2021 season. In 2013, the NFL created the Deacon Jones Award to recognize the season leader in sacks. There have only been two players who have led the league in sacks with 2 different teams, Jared Allen (2007 with the Chiefs and 2011 with the Vikings) and Kevin Greene (1994 with the Steelers and 1996 with the Panthers). The Chiefs and the Vikings have had the most players lead the NFL in sacks with 4. Eight players have led the NFL in sacks twice, and nobody has led the league three times.

NFL lists
Quarterbacks
Running backs
Receivers
Defense
Special teams
Other lists
Michael Strahan (top) achieved 22.5 sacks during the 2001 season, and T. J. Watt (bottom) also achieved 22.5 sacks during the 2021 season, tying the NFL record with Strahan.

NFL sack leaders
Key
dagger Pro Football Hall of Fame member
^ The player is an active player
* Set record
(#) Denotes the number of times a player appears in this list
Jared Allen led the league in sacks in 2007 and 2011.
Al Baker is the unofficial NFL record holder with 23 sacks during the 1978 NFL season.

Note that the sack totals from 1960 to 1981 are considered unofficial by the NFL.[1]

Table updated through the 2022 NFL season.

Year Player Team Sacks Games
1960 Gino Marchettidagger Baltimore Colts 11.0* 12
1961 Gene Lipscomb Pittsburgh Steelers 17.5* 14
1962 Jim Katcavage New York Giants 16.0 14
1963 Jim Katcavage (2) New York Giants (2) 20.5* 14
1964 Deacon Jonesdagger Los Angeles Rams 20.5* 14
1965 Deacon Jonesdagger (2) Los Angeles Rams (2) 19.0 14
1966 George Andrie Dallas Cowboys 18.5 14
1967 Deacon Jonesdagger (3) Los Angeles Rams (3) 21.5* 14
1968 Deacon Jonesdagger (4) Los Angeles Rams (4) 22.0* 14
1969 Carl Ellerdagger Minnesota Vikings
15.0 14
Deacon Jonesdagger (5) Los Angeles Rams (5)
1970 Tony Cline Oakland Raiders 17.5 14
1971 Cedrick Hardman San Francisco 49ers 18.0 14
1972 Jack Gregory New York Giants (3) 18.5 14
1973 Bill Stanfill Miami Dolphins 18.5 14
1974 Fred Dryer Los Angeles Rams (6 & 7) 15.0 14
Jack Youngblooddagger
1975 John Dutton Baltimore Colts (2) 18.0 14
1976 Coy Bacon Cincinnati Bengals 21.5 14
1977 Harvey Martin Dallas Cowboys (2) 20.0 14
1978 Al Baker Detroit Lions 23.0* 16
1979 Jack Youngblooddagger (2) Los Angeles Rams (8) 20.5 16
1980 Al Baker (2) Detroit Lions (2) 17.5 15
Gary Johnson San Diego Chargers
1981 Joe Kleckodagger New York Jets 20.5 16
1982 Doug Martin Minnesota Vikings (2) 11.5 9
1983 Mark Gastineau New York Jets 19.0 16
1984 Mark Gastineau (2) New York Jets (3) 22.0 16
1985 Richard Dentdagger Chicago Bears 17.0 16
1986 Lawrence Taylordagger New York Giants (4) 20.5 16
1987 Reggie Whitedagger Philadelphia Eagles 21.0 12
1988 Reggie Whitedagger (2) Philadelphia Eagles (2) 18.0 16
1989 Chris Dolemandagger Minnesota Vikings (3) 21.0 16
1990 Derrick Thomasdagger Kansas City Chiefs 20.0 15
1991 Pat Swilling New Orleans Saints 17.0 16
1992 Clyde Simmons Philadelphia Eagles (3) 19.0 16
1993 Neil Smith Kansas City Chiefs (2) 15.0 16
1994 Kevin Greenedagger Pittsburgh Steelers (2) 14.0 16
1995 Bryce Paup Buffalo Bills 17.5 15
1996 Kevin Greenedagger (2) Carolina Panthers 14.5 16
1997 John Randledagger Minnesota Vikings (4) 15.5 16
1998 Michael Sinclair Seattle Seahawks 16.5 16
1999 Kevin Carter St. Louis Rams (9) 17.0 16
2000 La'Roi Glover New Orleans Saints (2) 17.0 16
2001 Michael Strahandagger New York Giants (5) 22.5 16
2002 Jason Taylordagger Miami Dolphins (2) 18.5 16
2003 Michael Strahandagger (2) New York Giants (6) 18.5 16
2004 Dwight Freeney Indianapolis Colts 16.0 16
2005 Derrick Burgess Oakland Raiders (2) 16.0 16
2006 Shawne Merriman San Diego Chargers (2) 17.0 12
2007 Jared Allen Kansas City Chiefs (3) 15.5 14
2008 DeMarcus Waredagger Dallas Cowboys (3) 20.0 16
2009 Elvis Dumervil Denver Broncos 17.0 16
2010 DeMarcus Waredagger (2) Dallas Cowboys (4) 15.5 16
2011 Jared Allen (2) Minnesota Vikings (5) 22.0 16
2012 J. J. Watt Houston Texans 20.5 16
2013 Robert Mathis Indianapolis Colts 19.5 16
2014 Justin Houston^ Kansas City Chiefs (4) 22.0 16
2015 J. J. Watt (2) Houston Texans (2) 17.5 16
2016 Vic Beasley Atlanta Falcons 15.5 16
2017 Chandler Jones^ Arizona Cardinals 17.0 16
2018 Aaron Donald^ Los Angeles Rams (10) 20.5 16
2019 Shaquil Barrett^ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19.5 16
2020 T. J. Watt^ Pittsburgh Steelers (3) 15.0 15
2021 T. J. Watt^ (2) Pittsburgh Steelers (4) 22.5 15
2022 Nick Bosa^ San Francisco 49ers (2) 18.5 16

Most sack titles
Titles Player Years Team
5 Deacon Jones 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969 Los Angeles Rams
2 Jim Katcavage 1962 & 1963 New York Giants
Jack Youngblood 1974 & 1979 Los Angeles Rams
Al Baker 1978 & 1980 Detroit Lions
Mark Gastineau 1983 & 1984 New York Jets
Reggie White 1987 & 1988 Philadelphia Eagles
Kevin Greene 1994 & 1998 Pittsburgh Steelers / Carolina Panthers
Michael Strahan 2001 & 2003 New York Giants
DeMarcus Ware 2008 & 2010 Dallas Cowboys
Jared Allen 2007 & 2011 Kansas City Chiefs / Minnesota Vikings
J. J. Watt 2012 & 2015 Houston Texans
T. J. Watt 2020 & 2021 Pittsburgh Steelers

AFL sack leaders
Year Player Team Sacks Games
1960 Mel Branch
Riley Morris		 Dallas Texans
Oakland Raiders		 10.0 14
12
1961 Ed Husmann
Ron Nery		 Houston Oilers
San Diego Chargers		 8.0 14
1962 Ed Husmann (2) Houston Oilers (2) 10.0 14
1963 Larry Eisenhauer Boston Patriots 8.0 14
1964 Tom Sestak Buffalo Bills 15.5 14
1965 Larry Eisenhauer (2) Boston Patriots (2) 9.5 14
1966 Verlon Biggs New York Jets 12.5 14
1967 Ike Lassiter Oakland Raiders (2) 17.0 14
1968 Gerry Philbin New York Jets (2) 14.0 14
1969 Steve DeLong San Diego Chargers (2) 15.5 14

See also

References
  1. "Pre-1982 Sacks Added To Pro Football Reference". Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved 2022-01-15.
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