Who holds the NFL record for most sacks in a single season?

[ASFN Admin]

All eyes—of opposing defenses and fans—are on the Cleveland Browns' prolific pass rusher Myles Garrett as he continues to torment NFL quarterbacks in 2025.

Heading into his Week 13 matchup against the San Francisco 49ers, Garrett currently has 18 sacks, which puts him on pace to top the record, both official and unofficial.

That total?

Since the NFL began officially recording the defensive stat in 1982, most have 22.5 sacks as the top of Pass Rush Mountain. Others might look beyond such statistical squeezing to the times of yesteryear—in this case, pre-1982—which would actually put the record number at 23.

Regardless, Garrett's dominant run this NFL season has him nearing the doorstep of a distinct club of defensive juggernauts who have totaled more than 20 sacks in a single season.

We begin in Dallas, Texas…

DeMarcus Ware​

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Year: 2008

Team: Dallas Cowboys

Sacks: 20.0

Derrick Thomas​

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Year: 1990

Team: Kansas City Chiefs

Sacks: 20.0

Harvey Martin​

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Year: 1977

Team: Dallas Cowboys

Sacks: 20.0

Mark Gastineau​

Mark Gastineau #99

Here's a Gastineau sack from the @nyjets 25-0 win over the Baltimore Colts at Shea in 1981#TakeFlight#Jetshistory#Jets#NFL#NFLTwitter#CountdownToWeek1 #99 pic.twitter.com/aRFOFVl1Kt

— New York Jets History (@nyjetshistory) June 5, 2023

Year: 1981

Team: New York Jets

Sacks: 20.0

J.J. Watt​

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Year: 2012 and 2014

Team: Houston Texans

Sacks: 20.5

Lawrence Taylor​

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Year: 1986

Team: New York Giants

Sacks: 20.5

Joe Klecko​

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Year: 1981

Team: New York Jets

Sacks: 20.5

Jim Katcavage​

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Year: 1963

Team: New York Giants

Sacks: 20.5

Aaron Donald​

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Year: 2018

Team: Los Angeles Rams

Sacks: 20.5

Reggie White​

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Year: 1987

Team: Philadelphia Eagles

Sacks: 21.0

Chris Doleman​

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Year: 1989

Team: Minnesota Vikings

Sacks: 21.0

Deacon Jones​

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Year: 1967

Team: Los Angeles Rams

Sacks: 21.5

Coy Bacon​

Heaven Birthday, Coy Bacon.

In 1976, the #Bengals traded WR Charlie Joiner to the Chargers for 34-year-old former-Ram DE Coy Bacon to improve its anemic pass rush

Bacon collected an unofficial all-time Bengals record 21½ sacks (originally listed as 26)pic.twitter.com/mUFEMTP5N0

— Kevin Gallagher (@KevG163) August 31, 2023

Year: 1976

Team: Cincinnati Bengals

Sacks: 21.5

Deacon Jones​

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Year: 1964 and 1968

Team: Los Angeles Rams

Sacks: 22.0

Justin Houston​

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Year: 2014

Team: Kansas City Chiefs

Sacks: 22.0

Mark Gastineau​

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Year: 1984

Team: New York Jets

Sacks: 22.0

Jared Allen​

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Year: 2011

Team: Minnesota Vikings

Sacks: 22.0

T.J. Watt​

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Year: 2021

Team: Pittsburgh Steelers

Sacks: 22.5

Michael Strahan​

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Year: 2001

Team: New York Giants

Sacks: 22.5

Al Baker​

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Year: 1978

Team: Detroit Lions

Sacks: 23.0

This article originally appeared on The List Wire: NFL single-season sack leaders: Players to record 20 or more sacks

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