List of NFL 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 and sacks from years prior do not count towards a player's career total.^[1] Michael Strahan of the New York Giants and T. J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers hold the official record with 22.5, which Strahan set during the 2001 season, and Watt matched during the 2021 season.^[2] In 2013, the NFL created the Deacon Jones Award to recognize the annual leader in sacks.^[3] Since 1982, there have only been two players who have led the league in sacks with two 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 four. Seven players have been the league leader in sacks twice, while T. J. Watt has led the league three times.

Michael Strahan (left) and T. J. Watt (right) hold the official single-season record for sacks with 22.5.

NFL annual sacks leaders

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.^[2]

The Deacon Jones Award, given annually to the player who leads the league in sacks, is named after Deacon Jones. Jones unofficially led the league in sacks 5 times.

Key

Symbol	Meaning
Leader	The player who recorded the most sacks in the NFL
Sacks	The total number of sacks the player had
GP	The number of games played by a player during the season
†	Pro Football Hall of Fame member
^	The player is an active player
*	Player set the single-season sacks record
(#)	Denotes the number of times a player appears in this list

Note that the sack totals from 1960 to 1981 are considered unofficial by the NFL.^[4][5]

NFL annual sacks leaders by season

Season	Leader	Sacks	GP	Team	Refs
1960	Gino Marchetti†	11.0*	12	Baltimore Colts	[6][7]
1961	Gene Lipscomb	17.5*	14	Pittsburgh Steelers	[6][8]
1962	Jim Katcavage	16.0	14	New York Giants	[6][9]
1963	Jim Katcavage (2)	20.5*	14	New York Giants	[6][9]
1964	Deacon Jones†	22.0*	14	Los Angeles Rams	[6][10]
1965	Deacon Jones† (2)	19.0	14	Los Angeles Rams	[6][10]
1966	George Andrie	18.5	14	Dallas Cowboys	[6][11]
1967	Deacon Jones† (3)	21.5	14	Los Angeles Rams	[6][10]
1968	Deacon Jones† (4)	22.0	14	Los Angeles Rams	[6][10]
1969	Carl Eller†	15.0	14	Minnesota Vikings	[6][12]
	Deacon Jones† (5)			Los Angeles Rams	[6][10]
1970	Tony Cline	17.5	14	Oakland Raiders	[6][13]
1971	Cedrick Hardman	18.0	14	San Francisco 49ers	[6][14]
1972	Jack Gregory	18.5	14	New York Giants	[6][15]
1973	Bill Stanfill	18.5	14	Miami Dolphins	[6][16]
1974	Fred Dryer	15.0	14	Los Angeles Rams	[6][17]
	Jack Youngblood†				[6][18]
1975	John Dutton	18.0	14	Baltimore Colts	[6][19]
1976	Coy Bacon	21.5	14	Cincinnati Bengals	[6][20]
1977	Harvey Martin	20.0	14	Dallas Cowboys	[6][21]
1978	Al Baker	23.0*	16	Detroit Lions	[6][22]
1979	Jack Youngblood† (2)	20.5	16	Los Angeles Rams	[6][18]
1980	Al Baker (2)	17.5	15	Detroit Lions	[6][22]
	Gary Johnson			San Diego Chargers	[6][23]
1981	Joe Klecko†	20.5	16	New York Jets	[6][24]
1982	Doug Martin	11.5	9	Minnesota Vikings	[6][25]
1983	Mark Gastineau	19.0	16	New York Jets	[6][26]
1984	Mark Gastineau (2)	22.0	16	New York Jets	[6][26]
1985	Richard Dent†	17.0	16	Chicago Bears	[6][27]
1986	Lawrence Taylor†	20.5	16	New York Giants	[6][28]
1987	Reggie White†	21.0	12	Philadelphia Eagles	[6][29]
1988	Reggie White† (2)	18.0	16	Philadelphia Eagles	[6][29]
1989	Chris Doleman†	21.0	16	Minnesota Vikings	[6][30]
1990	Derrick Thomas†	20.0	15	Kansas City Chiefs	[6][31]
1991	Pat Swilling	17.0	16	New Orleans Saints	[6][32]
1992	Clyde Simmons	19.0	16	Philadelphia Eagles	[6][33]
1993	Neil Smith	15.0	16	Kansas City Chiefs	[6][34]
1994	Kevin Greene†	14.0	16	Pittsburgh Steelers	[6][35]
1995	Bryce Paup	17.5	15	Buffalo Bills	[6][36]
1996	Kevin Greene† (2)	14.5	16	Carolina Panthers	[6][35]
1997	John Randle†	15.5	16	Minnesota Vikings	[6][37]
1998	Michael Sinclair	16.5	16	Seattle Seahawks	[6][38]
1999	Kevin Carter	17.0	16	St. Louis Rams	[6][39]
2000	La'Roi Glover	17.0	16	New Orleans Saints	[6][40]
2001	Michael Strahan†	22.5	16	New York Giants	[6][41]
2002	Jason Taylor†	18.5	16	Miami Dolphins	[6][42]
2003	Michael Strahan† (2)	18.5	16	New York Giants	[6][41]
2004	Dwight Freeney†	16.0	16	Indianapolis Colts	[6][43]
2005	Derrick Burgess	16.0	16	Oakland Raiders	[6][44]
2006	Shawne Merriman	17.0	12	San Diego Chargers	[6][45]
2007	Jared Allen	15.5	14	Kansas City Chiefs	[6][46]
2008	DeMarcus Ware†	20.0	16	Dallas Cowboys	[6][47]
2009	Elvis Dumervil	17.0	16	Denver Broncos	[6][48]
2010	DeMarcus Ware† (2)	15.5	16	Dallas Cowboys	[6][47]
2011	Jared Allen (2)	22.0	16	Minnesota Vikings	[6][46]
2012	J. J. Watt	20.5	16	Houston Texans	[6][49]
2013	Robert Mathis	19.5	16	Indianapolis Colts	[6][50]
2014	Justin Houston	22.0	16	Kansas City Chiefs	[6][51]
2015	J. J. Watt (2)	17.5	16	Houston Texans	[6][49]
2016	Vic Beasley	15.5	16	Atlanta Falcons	[6][52]
2017	Chandler Jones	17.0	16	Arizona Cardinals	[6][53]
2018	Aaron Donald	20.5	16	Los Angeles Rams	[6][54]
2019	Shaquil Barrett	19.5	16	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	[6][55]
2020	T. J. Watt^	15.0	15	Pittsburgh Steelers	[6][56]
2021	T. J. Watt^ (2)	22.5	15	Pittsburgh Steelers	[6][56]
2022	Nick Bosa^	18.5	16	San Francisco 49ers	[6][57]
2023	T. J. Watt^ (3)	19.0	17	Pittsburgh Steelers	[6][56]

AFL annual sacks leaders

Key

Symbol	Meaning
Leader	The player who recorded the most sacks in the AFL
Sacks	The total number of sacks the player had
GP	The number of games played by a player during the season
*	Player set the single-season sacks record
(#)	Denotes the number of times a player appears in this list

AFL annual sacks leaders by season

Season	Leader	Sacks	GP	Team	Refs
1960	Mel Branch	10.0*	14	Dallas Texans	[6][58]
	Riley Morris		12	Oakland Raiders	[6][59]
1961	Ed Husmann	8.0	14	Houston Oilers	[6][60]
	Ron Nery			San Diego Chargers	[6][61]
1962	Ed Husmann (2)	10.0	14	Houston Oilers	[6][60]
1963	Larry Eisenhauer	8.0	14	Boston Patriots	[6][62]
1964	Tom Sestak	15.5*	14	Buffalo Bills	[6][63]
1965	Larry Eisenhauer (2)	9.5	14	Boston Patriots	[6][62]
1966	Verlon Biggs	12.5	14	New York Jets	[6][64]
1967	Ike Lassiter	17.0*	14	Oakland Raiders	[6][65]
1968	Gerry Philbin	14.0	14	New York Jets	[6][66]
1969	Steve DeLong	15.5	14	San Diego Chargers	[6][67]

Most seasons leading the league

Count	Player	Seasons	Team(s)	Ref.
5	Deacon Jones	1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969	Los Angeles Rams	[10]
3	T. J. Watt	2020, 2021, 2023	Pittsburgh Steelers	[56]
2	Jared Allen	2007, 2011	Kansas City Chiefs / Minnesota Vikings	[46]
	Al Baker	1978, 1980	Detroit Lions	[22]
	Mark Gastineau	1983, 1984	New York Jets	[26]
	Kevin Greene	1994, 1998	Pittsburgh Steelers / Carolina Panthers	[35]
	Jim Katcavage	1962, 1963	New York Giants	[9]
	Michael Strahan	2001, 2003	New York Giants	[41]
	DeMarcus Ware	2008, 2010	Dallas Cowboys	[47]
	J. J. Watt	2012, 2015	Houston Texans	[49]
	Reggie White	1987, 1988	Philadelphia Eagles	[29]
	Jack Youngblood	1974, 1979	Los Angeles Rams	[18]

See also

• List of NFL career sacks leaders
• List of NFL annual interceptions leaders
• List of NFL annual forced fumbles leaders

References

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