List of NFL 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 and sacks from years prior do not count towards a player's List of [National Football League career sacks leaders|career total]. Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns holds the official record with 23, set during the 2025 season.
The Deacon Jones Award was established by the NFL in 2013 to recognize the annual leader in sacks, named after the former defensive end Deacon Jones who led the league in sacks five times. Since 1982, there have only been two players who have led the league in sacks with two different teams, Jared Allen and Kevin Greene. 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.

NFL annual sacks leaders

SymbolMeaning
LeaderThe player who recorded the most sacks
SacksTotal number of sacks
GPNumber of games played during the season
Pro Football Hall of Fame member
^Active player
*Single-season 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.
SeasonLeaderSacksTeam
11*12Baltimore Colts season|Baltimore Colts]
17.5*14Pittsburgh Steelers season|Pittsburgh Steelers]
1614New York Giants season|New York Giants]
20.5*14New York Giants
22*14Los Angeles Rams season|Los Angeles Rams]
1914Los Angeles Rams
18.514Dallas Cowboys season|Dallas Cowboys]
21.514Los Angeles Rams
2214Los Angeles Rams
1514Minnesota Vikings season|Minnesota Vikings]
1514Los Angeles Rams
17.514Oakland Raiders season|Oakland Raiders]
1814San Francisco 49ers season|San Francisco 49ers]
18.514New York Giants
18.514Miami Dolphins season|Miami Dolphins]
1514Los Angeles Rams
1514Los Angeles Rams
1814Baltimore Colts
21.514Cincinnati Bengals season|Cincinnati Bengals]
2014Dallas Cowboys
23*16Detroit Lions season|Detroit Lions]
20.516Los Angeles Rams
17.515Detroit Lions
17.515San Diego Chargers season|San Diego Chargers]
20.516New York Jets season|New York Jets]
11.59Minnesota Vikings
1916New York Jets
2216New York Jets
1716Chicago Bears season|Chicago Bears]
20.516New York Giants
2112Philadelphia Eagles season|Philadelphia Eagles]
1816Philadelphia Eagles
2116Minnesota Vikings
2015Kansas City Chiefs season|Kansas City Chiefs]
1716New Orleans Saints season|New Orleans Saints]
1916Philadelphia Eagles
1516Kansas City Chiefs
1416Pittsburgh Steelers
17.515Buffalo Bills season|Buffalo Bills]
14.516Carolina Panthers season|Carolina Panthers]
15.516Minnesota Vikings
16.516Seattle Seahawks season|Seattle Seahawks]
1716St. Louis Rams
1716New Orleans Saints
22.516New York Giants
18.516Miami Dolphins
18.516New York Giants
1616Indianapolis Colts season|Indianapolis Colts]
1616Oakland Raiders
1712San Diego Chargers
15.514Kansas City Chiefs
2016Dallas Cowboys
1716Denver Broncos season|Denver Broncos]
15.516Dallas Cowboys
2216Minnesota Vikings
20.516Houston Texans season|Houston Texans]
19.516Indianapolis Colts
2216Kansas City Chiefs
17.516Houston Texans
15.516Atlanta Falcons season|Atlanta Falcons]
1716Arizona Cardinals season|Arizona Cardinals]
20.516Los Angeles Rams
19.516Tampa Bay Buccaneers season|Tampa Bay Buccaneers]
^1515Pittsburgh Steelers
^ 22.515Pittsburgh Steelers
^18.516San Francisco 49ers
^ 1917Pittsburgh Steelers
^17.517Cincinnati Bengals
^23*172025 [Cleveland Browns season|Cleveland Browns]

AFL annual sacks leaders

SeasonLeaderSacksTeam
196010*14Dallas Texans season|Dallas Texans]
196010*12Oakland Raiders
1961814Houston Oilers season|Houston Oilers]
1961814San Diego Chargers
1962 1014Houston Oilers
1963814Boston Patriots season|Boston Patriots]
196415.5*14Buffalo Bills
1965 9.514Boston Patriots
196612.514New York Jets
196717*14Oakland Raiders
19681414New York Jets
196915.514San Diego Chargers