Myles Garrett holds the official NFL record for most sacks in a single season with 23.0 sacks in 2025. He surpassed the previous record of 22.5 shared by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt. Jared Allen, Mark Gastineau and Justin Houston are the only other players to reach 22 official sacks in a season.
This leaderboard covers official regular-season sacks recorded since the statistic became official in 1982. It does not include playoff sacks or researched pre-1982 totals. Al “Bubba” Baker recorded an unofficial 23 sacks in 1978, while Deacon Jones produced multiple seasons that would also appear near the top.
Sacks do not measure every part of pass-rush performance, but approaching 20 in one season means a defender was consistently changing protections, accelerating quarterbacks and ending drives. For the broader evaluation beyond one statistic, see the SOG Sports ranking of the best pass rushers in NFL history.
How This Single-Season Sack Leaderboard Works
The order is determined entirely by official regular-season sacks. Tied totals share the same rank, and separate seasons by the same player receive individual entries.
The season shown refers to the NFL season in which the sacks were recorded. Postseason sacks are not added to the totals.
Schedule length creates an important difference between eras. Strahan and Gastineau produced their record-setting seasons during 16-game schedules. Watt tied Strahan while appearing in only 15 games in 2021, while Garrett played all 17 games during his record-breaking 2025 season.
This is a statistical leaderboard rather than a ranking of the greatest defensive seasons. Pressure rate, quarterback hits, forced fumbles, run defense, double-team frequency, playoff performance and team context would all matter in a complete evaluation.
Official vs. Pre-1982 Sack Totals
The NFL did not recognize individual sacks as an official statistic until 1982. That means this official leaderboard does not include several historically significant pre-1982 seasons.
Al Baker recorded a researched 23 sacks as a Detroit Lions rookie in 1978, tying Garrett’s current official record. Deacon Jones is credited with 22 researched sacks in both 1964 and 1968, along with 21.5 in 1967. Those totals provide important historical context but remain unofficial in the NFL record book.
Tier 7: 19.0 Sacks
Tier 7 of the most sacks recorded in a single season ranking, featuring Mark Gastineau, Chandler Jones, Robert Quinn, Clyde Simmons, Bruce Smith, and T.J. Watt.
Tier 7 begins at 19 sacks, a total that has still been reached in only a small number of official NFL seasons.
Mark Gastineau: 19.0 Sacks in 1983
Season: 19.0 sacks, New York Jets, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
Mark Gastineau had already established himself as one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers before breaking the official record the following year. His burst and aggressive upfield approach produced 19 sacks in 1983 and made him the most recognizable member of the New York Sack Exchange.
The back-to-back 19 and 22-sack seasons explain Gastineau’s prominent place among the best New York Jets players of all-time.
Chandler Jones: 19.0 Sacks in 2019
Season: 19.0 sacks, Arizona Cardinals, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
Chandler Jones combined length, hand strength and closing ability to produce the best statistical season of his career. He added eight forced fumbles, repeatedly turning pressure into possession-changing plays.
Jones never received the same attention as some other elite rushers from his era, but his 2019 season compares favorably with nearly any of them.
Robert Quinn: 19.0 Sacks in 2013
Season: 19.0 sacks, St. Louis Rams, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
Robert Quinn’s speed and ability to bend around the corner made him almost impossible to handle one-on-one in 2013. He also forced seven fumbles, giving the Rams far more than empty sack production.
Quinn finished behind Robert Mathis for the league sack lead, but his combination of sacks and forced fumbles created an equally destructive season.
Clyde Simmons: 19.0 Sacks in 1992
Season: 19.0 sacks, Philadelphia Eagles, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
Clyde Simmons reached his career high while playing on a Philadelphia front loaded with disruptive talent. Reggie White attracted enormous protection attention, but Simmons was far too good for offenses to leave isolated.
His 19 sacks remain one of the best individual seasons on the Philadelphia Eagles’ all-time sack leaderboard.
Bruce Smith: 19.0 Sacks in 1990
Season: 19.0 sacks, Buffalo Bills, Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-Pro.
Bruce Smith produced his highest official single-season total while helping Buffalo reach its first Super Bowl. He combined quickness, power and technical control better than almost any defensive end of his era.
The 19-sack campaign became one of the defining seasons behind Smith’s eventual position atop the NFL career sacks leaderboard.
T.J. Watt: 19.0 Sacks in 2023
Season: 19.0 sacks, Pittsburgh Steelers, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
T.J. Watt led the NFL in sacks for the third time in four seasons. His ability to anticipate the snap, close from difficult angles and attack the football produced another season near the historical record.
This was Watt’s second appearance on the leaderboard and his third career season with at least 15 sacks.
Tier 6: 19.5 to 20.0 Sacks
Tier 6 of the most sacks recorded in a single season ranking, featuring Derrick Thomas, DeMarcus Ware, Shaquil Barrett, Tim Harris, Robert Mathis, and Aldon Smith.
Tier 6 includes two 20-sack seasons and five performances that finished only half a sack short of that mark.
Derrick Thomas: 20.0 Sacks in 1990
Season: 20.0 sacks, Kansas City Chiefs, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
Derrick Thomas reached 20 sacks in only his second NFL season. His first step forced offensive tackles into immediate recovery mode, while his acceleration allowed him to finish before quarterbacks could escape.
Thomas set the single-game record with seven sacks against Seattle that season. That performance remains one of the clearest examples of a pass rusher taking over an entire game and helped make him a fixture on the Chiefs’ career sacks leaderboard.
DeMarcus Ware: 20.0 Sacks in 2008
Season: 20.0 sacks, Dallas Cowboys, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
DeMarcus Ware led the NFL with 20 sacks and added six forced fumbles during the best statistical season of his Dallas career. His burst and ability to convert speed into power left offensive tackles without a comfortable answer.
Ware remains first among the Dallas Cowboys’ official career sack leaders.
Shaquil Barrett: 19.5 Sacks in 2019
Season: 19.5 sacks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pro Bowl selection.
Shaquil Barrett entered 2019 with 14 career sacks across five seasons. His move from Denver to Tampa Bay unlocked an immediate breakout as he led the NFL with 19.5.
Barrett’s timing, closing speed and fit within Todd Bowles’ aggressive defense turned a low-cost signing into one of the league’s most productive edge rushers.
Tim Harris: 19.5 Sacks in 1989
Season: 19.5 sacks, Green Bay Packers and Pro Bowl selection.
Tim Harris produced 19.5 sacks despite playing for an otherwise ordinary Green Bay defense. His explosive rush from outside linebacker made him the central player opposing protections had to find.
Harris’ season remains one of the highest totals in Packers history.
Robert Mathis: 19.5 Sacks in 2013
Season: 19.5 sacks, Indianapolis Colts, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
Robert Mathis led the NFL in sacks at age 32 and forced eight fumbles. His trademark ability to reach the quarterback’s throwing arm made every pressure a potential turnover.
Mathis had produced several strong seasons opposite Dwight Freeney, but 2013 proved he could lead an elite pass rush after Freeney’s departure.
Aldon Smith: 19.5 Sacks in 2012
Season: 19.5 sacks, San Francisco 49ers, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
Aldon Smith reached 19.5 sacks during his second season and had 33.5 through his first 32 regular-season games. His length, closing burst and role alongside Justin Smith created one of the NFL’s most difficult protection problems.
His peak was brief, but this season remains one of the most productive in San Francisco 49ers sack history.
DeMarcus Ware: 19.5 Sacks in 2011
Season: 19.5 sacks, Dallas Cowboys, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
Ware’s second appearance proves that his 20-sack season was not an isolated spike. He recorded at least 11 sacks in seven consecutive seasons, with his 2008 and 2011 campaigns providing the two highest totals.
Very few defenders have produced multiple seasons this close to 20 sacks. Ware did it while remaining the obvious focus of opposing protections.
Tier 5: 20.5 to 21.0 Sacks
Tier 5 of the most sacks recorded in a single season ranking, featuring Chris Doleman, Reggie White, Aaron Donald, Lawrence Taylor, and J.J. Watt.
Tier 5 contains six seasons between 20.5 and 21 sacks. The group includes three Defensive Player of the Year campaigns and the only defensive tackle on the official leaderboard.
Chris Doleman: 21.0 Sacks in 1989
Season: 21.0 sacks, Minnesota Vikings, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
Chris Doleman combined speed around the edge with enough power and technique to finish when quarterbacks stepped forward. His 21 sacks led the NFL and established the highest total of his Hall of Fame career.
Doleman added five forced fumbles and remained productive against the run, giving Minnesota far more than a third-down specialist.
Reggie White: 21.0 Sacks in 1987
Season: 21.0 sacks in 12 games, Philadelphia Eagles, Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-Pro.
Reggie White’s 1987 season may be the most efficient performance on the entire leaderboard. He reached 21 sacks in only 12 games during the strike-affected season, averaging 1.75 per appearance.
White overwhelmed blockers with power while remaining one of the NFL’s best run defenders. His sack total captured only part of what made the season dominant.
Aaron Donald: 20.5 Sacks in 2018
Season: 20.5 sacks, Los Angeles Rams, Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-Pro.
Aaron Donald’s 2018 campaign is the greatest official pass-rushing season by a defensive tackle. He produced 20.5 sacks from the interior, where rushers have less space and regularly encounter immediate double teams.
Donald also recorded 25 tackles for loss and 41 quarterback hits while helping the Rams reach Super Bowl LIII. His season is one of the strongest arguments for including him near the top of the best defensive players ever.
Lawrence Taylor: 20.5 Sacks in 1986
Season: 20.5 sacks, New York Giants, NFL MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-Pro and Super Bowl champion.
Lawrence Taylor’s sack total was only one piece of a season that changed how offenses protected the quarterback. His speed and power demanded constant attention from running backs, tight ends and offensive tackles.
Taylor became the first defensive player to win NFL MVP since Alan Page in 1971 and helped the Giants finish the season as Super Bowl champions.
J.J. Watt: 20.5 Sacks in 2012
Season: 20.5 sacks, Houston Texans, Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-Pro.
J.J. Watt recorded 20.5 sacks, 39 tackles for loss and 16 passes defensed in one of the most statistically complete defensive seasons ever. He created pressure from several alignments while also controlling the running game.
This was the beginning of a four-year peak that established Watt among the greatest Houston Texans players.
J.J. Watt: 20.5 Sacks in 2014
Season: 20.5 sacks, Houston Texans, Defensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-Pro.
Watt reached 20.5 sacks again two seasons later, becoming the first player since sacks became official to record two 20-sack seasons. He added four forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and three receiving touchdowns while finishing second in MVP voting.
The offensive scores made the season unique, but Watt’s defensive production alone would have been enough to win his second Defensive Player of the Year award.
Tier 3: 22.0 Sacks
Tier 3 of the most sacks recorded in a single season ranking, featuring Jared Allen, Mark Gastineau, and Justin Houston.
No official season finished with exactly 21.5 sacks, leaving an empty statistical band between Tier 5 and the three 22-sack seasons in Tier 3.
Jared Allen: 22.0 Sacks in 2011
Season: 22.0 sacks, Minnesota Vikings, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
Jared Allen came within half a sack of tying Strahan’s record while playing for a Minnesota team that finished 3-13. Offenses regularly found themselves in favorable situations against the Vikings and still struggled to keep Allen away from the quarterback.
His combination of snap anticipation, hand technique and effort produced 12 sacks over the final eight games.
Mark Gastineau: 22.0 Sacks in 1984
Season: 22.0 sacks, New York Jets, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
Gastineau increased his total from 19 sacks in 1983 to an official-record 22 the following season. The mark stood for 17 years before Strahan surpassed it by half a sack.
Producing 41 sacks across two seasons established Gastineau as one of the defining pass rushers of the 1980s.
Justin Houston: 22.0 Sacks in 2014
Season: 22.0 sacks, Kansas City Chiefs, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
Justin Houston entered the final week with 18 sacks, then recorded four against San Diego to finish half a sack short of the record. His burst, strength and closing ability made him Kansas City’s most consistent defensive threat throughout the season.
Houston also defended the run well enough to remain on the field in every situation. His 22 sacks were the peak of a career that eventually reached 112.
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Tier 2: 22.5 Sacks
Tier 2 of the most sacks recorded in a single season ranking, featuring Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt.
Michael Strahan: 22.5 Sacks in 2001
Season: 22.5 sacks, New York Giants, Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
Michael Strahan surpassed Gastineau’s record during the final game of the 2001 season and held the mark outright for 20 years. His combination of power, technique and run defense made the season part of a complete defensive résumé rather than an isolated statistical spike.
Strahan recorded at least one sack in 13 games and produced six multi-sack performances. His record season remains one of the defining accomplishments behind his place among the greatest New York Giants players.
T.J. Watt: 22.5 Sacks in 2021
Season: 22.5 sacks in 15 games, Pittsburgh Steelers, Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
T.J. Watt tied Strahan despite missing two complete games and parts of others because of injuries. His 1.5 sacks per appearance remain the highest rate among the three official record holders.
Watt recorded at least half a sack in 12 of his 15 games and finished with four sacks in the finale to reach 22.5. That season sits at the center of his place on the Steelers’ career sack leaderboard.
Tier 1: 23.0 Sacks
Tier 1 of the most sacks recorded in a single season ranking, featuring Myles Garrett.
Myles Garrett: 23.0 Sacks in 2025
Season: 23.0 sacks, Cleveland Browns, Defensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection.
Myles Garrett reached Joe Burrow for his 23rd sack during Cleveland’s final game of the 2025 season, moving him past Strahan and Watt for sole possession of the official record.
The total was even more impressive because Garrett did not record a sack during the first three weeks. He then produced 23 across his final 14 games, including 5.5 in one game against Baltimore and five against New England.
Garrett finished with 33 tackles for loss and 39 quarterback hits while facing protections built around stopping him. The season earned him his second Defensive Player of the Year award and strengthened his place among the best Cleveland Browns players of all-time.
Complete Single-Season Sack Table
The table includes the 25 highest official single-season totals shown in the graphic. Tied seasons share the same rank.
| Rank | Player | Sacks | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Myles Garrett | 23.0 | 2025 |
| 2 | Michael Strahan | 22.5 | 2001 |
| 2 | T.J. Watt | 22.5 | 2021 |
| 4 | Jared Allen | 22.0 | 2011 |
| 4 | Mark Gastineau | 22.0 | 1984 |
| 4 | Justin Houston | 22.0 | 2014 |
| 7 | Chris Doleman | 21.0 | 1989 |
| 7 | Reggie White | 21.0 | 1987 |
| 9 | Aaron Donald | 20.5 | 2018 |
| 9 | Lawrence Taylor | 20.5 | 1986 |
| 9 | J.J. Watt | 20.5 | 2012 |
| 9 | J.J. Watt | 20.5 | 2014 |
| 13 | Derrick Thomas | 20.0 | 1990 |
| 13 | DeMarcus Ware | 20.0 | 2008 |
| 15 | Shaquil Barrett | 19.5 | 2019 |
| 15 | Tim Harris | 19.5 | 1989 |
| 15 | Robert Mathis | 19.5 | 2013 |
| 15 | Aldon Smith | 19.5 | 2012 |
| 15 | DeMarcus Ware | 19.5 | 2011 |
| 20 | Mark Gastineau | 19.0 | 1983 |
| 20 | Chandler Jones | 19.0 | 2019 |
| 20 | Robert Quinn | 19.0 | 2013 |
| 20 | Clyde Simmons | 19.0 | 1992 |
| 20 | Bruce Smith | 19.0 | 1990 |
| 20 | T.J. Watt | 19.0 | 2023 |
Biggest Takeaways
Myles Garrett owns the official record
Garrett’s 23 sacks in 2025 moved him half a sack ahead of Strahan and Watt. He reached the record despite going without a sack during the first three games.
Al Baker shares the broader researched mark
Baker’s 23 reconstructed sacks from 1978 tie Garrett when pre-1982 totals are included. Garrett remains the sole official record holder because Baker played before sacks became an official statistic.
Reggie White produced the highest rate
White recorded 21 sacks in only 12 appearances during the strike-affected 1987 season. His average of 1.75 per game is higher than every season on the official leaderboard.
Aaron Donald stands alone among defensive tackles
Donald is the only primary defensive tackle among these 25 entries. Producing 20.5 sacks against interior protection makes his 2018 season one of the most impressive on the list.
Four players appear more than once
T.J. Watt, J.J. Watt, DeMarcus Ware and Mark Gastineau each produced multiple seasons with at least 19 sacks. J.J. Watt is the only player with two official 20-sack seasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has the most official sacks in a single NFL season?
Myles Garrett holds the official record with 23.0 sacks for the Cleveland Browns in 2025.
Who held the record before Myles Garrett?
Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt shared the previous official record with 22.5 sacks. Strahan set the mark in 2001, and Watt tied it in 2021.
Did Al Baker also record 23 sacks in a season?
Yes. Al Baker is credited with 23 researched sacks as a Detroit Lions rookie in 1978. His total remains unofficial because the NFL did not begin officially recording individual sacks until 1982.
Who has the most sacks in a season by a defensive tackle?
Aaron Donald holds the official defensive tackle mark with 20.5 sacks for the Los Angeles Rams in 2018.
Does this leaderboard include playoff sacks?
No. Every total on the leaderboard comes from the regular season only.
Conclusion
Myles Garrett owns the official NFL single-season sack record after recording 23 for Cleveland in 2025. Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt remain tied for second at 22.5, while Jared Allen, Mark Gastineau and Justin Houston complete the official 22-sack group.
The historical answer requires one additional piece of context. Al Baker also produced 23 researched sacks in 1978, and Deacon Jones recorded several unofficial seasons that would rank near the top. Garrett holds the official record, while Baker shares the broader mark when pre-1982 research is considered.
For a career-length view of pass-rush production, see the complete SOG Sports ranking of the most sacks in NFL history. You can also follow SOG Football on Instagram for more NFL records, rankings and historical debates.
