List of National Football League annual sacks leaders


This is a list of National Football League 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 holds the record with 22.5, which he had during the 2001 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 and Kevin Greene. The Chiefs and the Vikings have had the most players lead the NFL in sacks with 4. Seven players have led the NFL in sacks twice, and nobody has led the league three times.

Sack leaders

YearPlayerSacksTeam
1982Doug Martin11.5Minnesota Vikings
1983Mark Gastineau19.0New York Jets
1984Mark Gastineau 22.0New York Jets
1985Richard Dent17.0Chicago Bears
1986Lawrence Taylor20.5New York Giants
1987Reggie White21.0Philadelphia Eagles
1988Reggie White 18.0Philadelphia Eagles
1989Chris Doleman21.0Minnesota Vikings
1990Derrick Thomas20.0Kansas City Chiefs
1991Pat Swilling17.0New Orleans Saints
1992Clyde Simmons19.0Philadelphia Eagles
1993Neil Smith15.0Kansas City Chiefs
1994Kevin Greene14.0Pittsburgh Steelers
1995Bryce Paup17.5Buffalo Bills
1996Kevin Greene 14.5Carolina Panthers
1997John Randle15.5Minnesota Vikings
1998Michael Sinclair16.5Seattle Seahawks
1999Kevin Carter17.0St. Louis Rams
2000La'Roi Glover17.0New Orleans Saints
2001Michael Strahan22.5New York Giants
2002Jason Taylor18.5Miami Dolphins
2003Michael Strahan 18.5New York Giants
2004Dwight Freeney16.0Indianapolis Colts
2005Derrick Burgess16.0Oakland Raiders
2006Shawne Merriman17.0San Diego Chargers
2007Jared Allen15.5Kansas City Chiefs
2008DeMarcus Ware20.0Dallas Cowboys
2009Elvis Dumervil17.0Denver Broncos
2010DeMarcus Ware 15.5Dallas Cowboys
2011Jared Allen 22.0Minnesota Vikings
2012J. J. Watt20.5Houston Texans
2013Robert Mathis19.5Indianapolis Colts
2014Justin Houston22.0Kansas City Chiefs
2015J. J. Watt 17.5Houston Texans
2016Vic Beasley15.5Atlanta Falcons
2017Chandler Jones17.0Arizona Cardinals
2018Aaron Donald20.5Los Angeles Rams
2019Shaquil Barrett19.5Tampa Bay Buccaneers