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Quarterback sack
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<h2 id="statistical-record-rules">Statistical record rules</h2> <p>To be considered a sack, the quarterback must intend to throw a forward pass. If the play is designed for the quarterback to rush (run) the ball, any loss is subtracted from the quarterback's rushing total (and the play is ruled a <a href="/facts/Tackle_for_loss/Ro1HzFk3">tackle for loss</a> as opposed to a sack). If the quarterback's intent is not obvious, statisticians use certain criteria, such as the offensive line blocking scheme, to decide. Unique situations where a loss reduces a quarterback's rushing total (not a sack) are "<a href="/facts/Quarterback_kneel/lTe8YSwm">kneel downs</a>" (used to run time off the game clock). </p><p>A player will receive credit for half of a sack when multiple players contribute to the sacking of a quarterback, even if more than two players contributed. </p><p>In the <a href="/facts/National_Football_League/cBH0hxRV">National Football League</a> (NFL), it is possible to record a sack for zero yards. The <a href="/facts/National_Football_League/cBH0hxRV">NFL</a> subtracts yards lost due to sacks from teams' passing totals (though the quarterback's individual passing total stats remain unchanged),<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> while the <a href="/facts/College_football/sQHYX0Ct">NCAA</a> subtracts sack yardage from individual rushing totals.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>The term <i>sack</i> was first popularized in the 1960s by <a href="/facts/Pro_Football_Hall_of_Fame/RsETBMlT">Hall of Fame</a> defensive end <a href="/facts/Deacon_Jones/qMFrXjI7">Deacon Jones</a>, who felt that a quarterback being sacked devastated the offense in the same way that <a href="/facts/Looting/7utcsI9z">a city was devastated when it was sacked</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> In 1999, Jones provided a <i><a href="/facts/Los_Angeles_Times/jFHbcmb9">Los Angeles Times</a></i> reporter with some other detailed imagery about his forte: "You take all the offensive linemen and put them in a <a href="/facts/Burlap/RlTL76cR">burlap</a> bag, and then you take a baseball bat and beat on the bag. You're sacking them, you're bagging them. And that’s what you're doing with a quarterback."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> </p><p>According to former NFL coach <a href="/facts/Marv_Levy/zdTaDsY4">Marv Levy</a>, <a href="/facts/Washington_Redskins/p82QWsuQ">Washington Redskins</a> coach <a href="/facts/George_Allen_(American_football_coach)/qv1RPtSm">George Allen</a> may have coined the term when referring to <a href="/facts/Dallas_Cowboys/Dr9XlTzh">Dallas Cowboys</a> quarterback <a href="/facts/Craig_Morton/pNbEVMrH">Craig Morton</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> when he purportedly stated before a game, "Before we play those Dallas Cowboys, we’re going to take that Morton salt and pour him into a sack." </p><p>Prior to <i>sack</i>, the term <i>dump</i> was often used, as the NFL's statistical office recorded all sacks under "dumping the passer".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p><p>The NFL only began to keep track of times passers lost yardage in 1961<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> and no credit was given to the defensive player responsible until 1982.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> Researcher John Turney of the <a href="/facts/Pro_Football_Researchers_Association/b4xrko7d">Pro Football Researchers Association</a> estimated that Jones recorded 173½ sacks in his career.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> </p><p>Controversial NFL rule changes made for the <a href="/facts/2018_NFL_season/y7MvpbJh">2018 season</a> prohibit tacklers from landing on the quarterback after making a sack, with the punishment being a <a href="/facts/Roughing_the_passer/xpook9PY">roughing the passer</a> penalty.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="pass-pressure">Pass pressure</h2> <p>Of all forms of defensive pressure against the opposition's passer, sacks provide the most immediate impact by ending the offensive play.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> However, quarterbacks sometimes avoid a sack by throwing an <a href="/facts/Incomplete_pass/uLxcYGSB">incomplete pass</a> or risking an <a href="/facts/Interception/7ao5Yf9a">interception</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a> According to <a href="/facts/Football_Outsiders/t8nrtPDa">Football Outsiders</a>, a quarterback hurry is the most common form of pass pressure. In the <a href="/facts/2009_NFL_season/t5UTfmrs">2009 NFL season</a>, there were 1,106 sacks and 3,268 hurries, and a hurried quarterback generally averaged fewer yards per pass play compared to the average pass play.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="nfl-records">NFL records</h2> <p>These records are from 1982 onwards, the year the NFL started officially recording sacks.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> </p> <ul><li>NFL single-season sacks: 22.5, <a href="/facts/T._J._Watt/J0zKeKLx">T. J. Watt</a>, 2021 and <a href="/facts/Michael_Strahan/5hjlUlmr">Michael Strahan</a>, 2001</li> <li>NFL career sacks: 200, <a href="/facts/Bruce_Smith/cpLanmE5">Bruce Smith</a>, 1985–2003</li> <li>NFL single-game sacks: 7, <a href="/facts/Derrick_Thomas/AMSq2hkJ">Derrick Thomas</a>, November 11, 1990 vs. Seattle Seahawks<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a></li> <li>NFL sacks, rookie season: 14.5, <a href="/facts/Jevon_Kearse/rpt2sJVE">Jevon Kearse</a>, 1999</li> <li>NFL seasons leading league in sacks: 3, T. J. Watt, 2020, 2021, 2023<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a></li> <li>NFL seasons with 20.0 or more sacks: 2, <a href="/facts/J._J._Watt/KvAXGNso">J. J. Watt</a>, 2012 & 2014<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a></li> <li>NFL most consecutive games recording a sack: 11, <a href="/facts/Chris_Jones_(defensive_tackle%2c_born_1994)/FBaR8mNJ">Chris Jones</a>, 2018</li> <li>NFL most consecutive games recording a sack (team): 75, <a href="/facts/Pittsburgh_Steelers/ArD7FTxQ">Pittsburgh Steelers</a>, 2016–2021<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a></li> <li>NFL career sacks taken: 557, <a href="/facts/Tom_Brady/TdgzfB2h">Tom Brady</a>, 2000–2022<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a></li> <li>NFL single-season sacks taken: 76, <a href="/facts/David_Carr_(American_football)/0uz7FLzI">David Carr</a>, 2002<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23"><sup>23</sup></a></li> <li>NFL game sacks taken: 12, <a href="/facts/Warren_Moon/0z8sx1VR">Warren Moon</a>, September 29, 1985 and <a href="/facts/Donovan_McNabb/vkAgWjwz">Donovan McNabb</a>, September 30, 2007<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24"><sup>24</sup></a></li> <li>NFL <a href="/facts/Super_Bowl/W2dqzqY4">Super Bowl</a> most sacks in a single game: 12, <a href="/facts/Super_Bowl_50/Ar9xDpL7">Carolina vs. Denver, 50</a> (7 by Denver, 5 by Carolina)</li> <li>NFL Super Bowl most sacks by a player in a single game: 3<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:25" href="#fn:25"><sup>25</sup></a></li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Reggie_White/GKQ9aNCE">Reggie White</a> – <a href="/facts/Super_Bowl_XXXI/XjFRccsn">Green Bay vs. New England, XXXI</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Darnell_Dockett/VYzQfW3m">Darnell Dockett</a> – <a href="/facts/Super_Bowl_XLIII/y4C8vCsL">Arizona vs. Pittsburgh, XLIII</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Kony_Ealy/hx1wqpJx">Kony Ealy</a> – <a href="/facts/Super_Bowl_50/Ar9xDpL7">Carolina vs. Denver, 50</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Grady_Jarrett/YhmmvnEl">Grady Jarrett</a> – <a href="/facts/Super_Bowl_LI/6syoSyvv">Atlanta vs. New England, LI</a></li></ul> <ul><li>NFL Super Bowl most sacks, career <i>(sacks compiled since XVII)</i></li></ul> <ul><li>4.5, <a href="/facts/Charles_Haley/lTtsfN43">Charles Haley</a> – 5 games <a href="/facts/San_Francisco_49ers/k84dwG63">San Francisco</a> <a href="/facts/Super_Bowl_XXIII/gnlP6Rtk">XXIII</a>, <a href="/facts/Super_Bowl_XXIV/BkrddpHW">XXIV</a>, <a href="/facts/Dallas_Cowboys/Dr9XlTzh">Dallas</a> <a href="/facts/Super_Bowl_XXVII/ytVLmhzk">XXVII</a>, <a href="/facts/Super_Bowl_XXVIII/gF8484dB">XXVIII</a>, <a href="/facts/Super_Bowl_XXX/PBQhNvVT">XXX</a></li> <li>4.5, <a href="/facts/Von_Miller/thdEbhM5">Von Miller</a> – 2 games <a href="/facts/Denver_Broncos/dVY51Yl2">Denver</a> <a href="/facts/Super_Bowl_50/Ar9xDpL7">50</a> and <a href="/facts/Los_Angeles_Rams/zV3pVtj1">Los Angeles Rams</a> <a href="/facts/Super_Bowl_LVI/PE8F0DSw">LVI</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:26" href="#fn:26"><sup>26</sup></a></li></ul> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul><li><a href="/facts/List_of_National_Football_League_annual_sacks_leaders/e7tSgDsW">List of National Football League annual sacks leaders</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/List_of_National_Football_League_career_sacks_leaders/g2nYfuLu">List of National Football League career sacks leaders</a></li> <li><i><a href="/facts/The_Blind_Side%3a_Evolution_of_a_Game/PXQE1hMh">The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game</a></i> – non-fiction book by <a href="/facts/Michael_Lewis/aCoDg4S9">Michael Lewis</a></li></ul> <h2 id="notes">Notes</h2> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sack (American football). <ul><li>Turney, John (June 26, 2000). <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20081105075549/http://archive.profootballweekly.com/content/archives/features_1999/turney_062600.asp">"Sack story: Setting the record straight on all of those QB takedowns"</a>. <i>Pro Football Weekly</i>. Archived from <a href="http://archive.profootballweekly.com/content/archives/features_1999/turney_062600.asp">the original</a> on November 5, 2008.</li> <li><a href="https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/sacks_career.htm">Pro-football-reference.com enumeration of career sack leaders</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"2011 Football Statisticians Manual, p. 17" (PDF). NCAA. Retrieved October 15, 2017. <a href="http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/Stats_Manuals/Football/2011ez.pdf" target="_blank">http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/Stats_Manuals/Football/2011ez.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Sack or Dump: To Quarterback It's All Downhill". The Milwaukee Journal. November 7, 1975. Retrieved June 5, 2013. <a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19751107&id=72kaAAAAIBAJ&pg=5990,3948674" target="_blank">https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19751107&id=72kaAAAAIBAJ&pg=5990,3948674</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Guide for Statisticians" (PDF). National Football League. Retrieved August 10, 2020. <a href="http://www.nflgsis.com/gsis/documentation/stadiumguides/guide_for_statisticians.pdf" target="_blank">http://www.nflgsis.com/gsis/documentation/stadiumguides/guide_for_statisticians.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"2018 Football Statisticians' Manual" (PDF). National Collegiate Athletic Association. <a href="http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/Stats_Manuals/Football/2018ez.pdf" target="_blank">http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/Stats_Manuals/Football/2018ez.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Jones, NFL coiner of 'sack the quarterback,' dies at 74". CNN. June 4, 2013. Retrieved June 5, 2013. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/04/us/sport-deacon-jones-death/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/04/us/sport-deacon-jones-death/index.html</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>#15: David 'Deacon' Jones - The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players (2010) - #FlashbackFridays. May 13, 2016. Event occurs at 1:53 – via YouTube. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqcmuCcwCiU" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqcmuCcwCiU</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Goldstein, Richard (June 6, 2013). "Deacon Jones Dies at 74; Made Quarterback Sack Brutal and Enthralling". The New York Times. Retrieved June 6, 2013. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/sports/football/deacon-jones-fearsome-nfl-defensive-end-dies-at-74.html?hpw" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/sports/football/deacon-jones-fearsome-nfl-defensive-end-dies-at-74.html?hpw</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Florio, Mike (June 16, 2013). "Levy explains how Deacon Jones came up with 'sack'". Profootballtalk.com. Retrieved August 10, 2020. <a href="/wiki/Mike_Florio" target="_blank">/wiki/Mike_Florio</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Sack or Dump: To Quarterback It's All Downhill". The Milwaukee Journal. November 7, 1975. Retrieved June 5, 2013. <a href="https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19751107&id=72kaAAAAIBAJ&pg=5990,3948674" target="_blank">https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19751107&id=72kaAAAAIBAJ&pg=5990,3948674</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>NFL Records <a href="http://www.nfl.com/history/randf/records/indiv/passing" target="_blank">http://www.nfl.com/history/randf/records/indiv/passing</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>NFL Records <a href="http://www.nfl.com/history/randf/records/indiv/sacks" target="_blank">http://www.nfl.com/history/randf/records/indiv/sacks</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Branch, John (November 4, 2006). "Unofficially, Sack Record Doesn't Add Up". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 1, 2015. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/04/sports/football/04giants.html" target="_blank">https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/04/sports/football/04giants.html</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Stiles, Adam (September 27, 2018). "The NFL's controversial new roughing the passer rule, explained in a 3-minute read". SBNation.com. Retrieved September 28, 2018. <a href="https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2018/9/27/17911444/nfl-roughing-the-passer-penalty-explanation-clay-matthews" target="_blank">https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2018/9/27/17911444/nfl-roughing-the-passer-penalty-explanation-clay-matthews</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Schatz, Aaron (June 1, 2010). "Examining the art of the hurry". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 2, 2014.(subscription required) <a href="https://insider.espn.com/nfl/insider/news/story?id=5238886" target="_blank">https://insider.espn.com/nfl/insider/news/story?id=5238886</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>Long, Howie; Czarnecki, John (2011). "Football For Dummies". John Wiley & Sons. p. 166. ISBN 9781118051610. Retrieved February 2, 2014. <a href="9781118051610" target="_blank">9781118051610</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>Schatz, Aaron (June 1, 2010). "Examining the art of the hurry". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 2, 2014.(subscription required) <a href="https://insider.espn.com/nfl/insider/news/story?id=5238886" target="_blank">https://insider.espn.com/nfl/insider/news/story?id=5238886</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>NFL Records <a href="http://www.nfl.com/history/randf/records/indiv/sacks" target="_blank">http://www.nfl.com/history/randf/records/indiv/sacks</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>Norm Willey made 17 sacks during one game according to 1952 newspaper accounts. However, sacks weren't an official statistic at the time.[15] <a href="/wiki/Norm_Willey" target="_blank">/wiki/Norm_Willey</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>DeArdo, Bryan (December 28, 2023). "Steelers' T.J. Watt makes NFL history as first player to lead league in sacks three different times". CBS Sports. Retrieved March 27, 2024. <a href="https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/steelers-t-j-watt-makes-nfl-history-as-first-player-to-lead-league-in-sacks-three-different-times/" target="_blank">https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/steelers-t-j-watt-makes-nfl-history-as-first-player-to-lead-league-in-sacks-three-different-times/</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>Edholm, Eric (December 28, 2015). "J.J. Watt becomes only two-time 20-sack player, does so on safety". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved February 1, 2015. <a href="https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/j-j--watt-becomes-only-two-time-20-sack-player--does-so-on-safety-210051599.html" target="_blank">https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/j-j--watt-becomes-only-two-time-20-sack-player--does-so-on-safety-210051599.html</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>"Steelers' NFL record of 75 games with a sack ends vs. Bengals". September 27, 2021. <a href="https://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/32807/steelers-nfl-record-of-75-games-with-a-sack-ends-vs-bengals" target="_blank">https://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/32807/steelers-nfl-record-of-75-games-with-a-sack-ends-vs-bengals</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>NFL Career Sacked Leaders – Pro-Football-Reference.com <a href="https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_sacked_career.htm" target="_blank">https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_sacked_career.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:23"><p>NFL Single-Season Sacked Leaders – Pro-Football-Reference.com <a href="https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_sacked_single_season.htm" target="_blank">https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_sacked_single_season.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:24"><p>NFL Single Game Sacked Leaders – Pro-Football-Reference.com <a href="https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_sacked_single_game.htm" target="_blank">https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_sacked_single_game.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:24" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:25"><p>L. C. Greenwood had 4 sacks in Super Bowl X.[22] However, sacks were not officially recorded by the NFL at that point. <a href="/wiki/L._C._Greenwood" target="_blank">/wiki/L._C._Greenwood</a> <a href="#fnref:25" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:26"><p>Heath, Jon (February 14, 2022). "Von Miller made NFL history in Super Bowl LVI". Broncos Wire. Retrieved February 14, 2022. <a href="https://broncoswire.usatoday.com/2022/02/14/super-bowl-history-von-miller-most-super-bowl-sacks/" target="_blank">https://broncoswire.usatoday.com/2022/02/14/super-bowl-history-von-miller-most-super-bowl-sacks/</a> <a href="#fnref:26" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>