# List of NFL annual sacks leaders

This is a list of National Football League (NFL) 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 career total. Michael Strahan of the New York Giants and T. J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers hold the official record with 22.5, which Strahan set during the 2001 season, and Watt matched during the 2021 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 (2007 with the Chiefs and 2011 with the Vikings) and Kevin Greene (1994 with the Steelers and 1996 with the Panthers). 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

Key :
| Symbol | Meaning |
| Leader | The player who recorded the most sacks |
| Sacks | Total number of sacks |
| GP | Number 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.
NFL annual sacks leaders by season :
| Season | Leader | Sacks | GP | Team |
| 1960 | Gino Marchetti† | 11* | 12 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1961 | Gene Lipscomb | 17.5* | 14 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1962 | Jim Katcavage | 16 | 14 | New York Giants |
| 1963 | Jim Katcavage (2) | 20.5* | 14 | New York Giants |
| 1964 | Deacon Jones† | 22* | 14 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1965 | Deacon Jones† (2) | 19 | 14 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1966 | George Andrie | 18.5 | 14 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 1967 | Deacon Jones† (3) | 21.5 | 14 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1968 | Deacon Jones† (4) | 22 | 14 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1969 | Carl Eller† | 15 | 14 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 1969 | Deacon Jones† (5) | 15 | 14 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1970 | Tony Cline | 17.5 | 14 | Oakland Raiders |
| 1971 | Cedrick Hardman | 18 | 14 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 1972 | Jack Gregory | 18.5 | 14 | New York Giants |
| 1973 | Bill Stanfill | 18.5 | 14 | Miami Dolphins |
| 1974 | Fred Dryer | 15 | 14 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1974 | Jack Youngblood† | 15 | 14 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1975 | John Dutton | 18 | 14 | Baltimore Colts |
| 1976 | Coy Bacon | 21.5 | 14 | Cincinnati Bengals |
| 1977 | Harvey Martin | 20 | 14 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 1978 | Al Baker | 23* | 16 | Detroit Lions |
| 1979 | Jack Youngblood† (2) | 20.5 | 16 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1980 | Al Baker (2) | 17.5 | 15 | Detroit Lions |
| 1980 | Gary Johnson | 17.5 | 15 | San Diego Chargers |
| 1981 | Joe Klecko† | 20.5 | 16 | New York Jets |
| 1982 | Doug Martin | 11.5 | 9 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 1983 | Mark Gastineau | 19 | 16 | New York Jets |
| 1984 | Mark Gastineau (2) | 22 | 16 | New York Jets |
| 1985 | Richard Dent† | 17 | 16 | Chicago Bears |
| 1986 | Lawrence Taylor† | 20.5 | 16 | New York Giants |
| 1987 | Reggie White† | 21 | 12 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1988 | Reggie White† (2) | 18 | 16 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1989 | Chris Doleman† | 21 | 16 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 1990 | Derrick Thomas† | 20 | 15 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1991 | Pat Swilling | 17 | 16 | New Orleans Saints |
| 1992 | Clyde Simmons | 19 | 16 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 1993 | Neil Smith | 15 | 16 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 1994 | Kevin Greene† | 14 | 16 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 1995 | Bryce Paup | 17.5 | 15 | Buffalo Bills |
| 1996 | Kevin Greene† (2) | 14.5 | 16 | Carolina Panthers |
| 1997 | John Randle† | 15.5 | 16 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 1998 | Michael Sinclair | 16.5 | 16 | Seattle Seahawks |
| 1999 | Kevin Carter | 17 | 16 | St. Louis Rams |
| 2000 | La'Roi Glover | 17 | 16 | New Orleans Saints |
| 2001 | Michael Strahan† | 22.5 | 16 | New York Giants |
| 2002 | Jason Taylor† | 18.5 | 16 | Miami Dolphins |
| 2003 | Michael Strahan† (2) | 18.5 | 16 | New York Giants |
| 2004 | Dwight Freeney† | 16 | 16 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2005 | Derrick Burgess | 16 | 16 | Oakland Raiders |
| 2006 | Shawne Merriman | 17 | 12 | San Diego Chargers |
| 2007 | Jared Allen† | 15.5 | 14 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2008 | DeMarcus Ware† | 20 | 16 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 2009 | Elvis Dumervil | 17 | 16 | Denver Broncos |
| 2010 | DeMarcus Ware† (2) | 15.5 | 16 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 2011 | Jared Allen† (2) | 22 | 16 | Minnesota Vikings |
| 2012 | J. J. Watt | 20.5 | 16 | Houston Texans |
| 2013 | Robert Mathis | 19.5 | 16 | Indianapolis Colts |
| 2014 | Justin Houston | 22 | 16 | Kansas City Chiefs |
| 2015 | J. J. Watt (2) | 17.5 | 16 | Houston Texans |
| 2016 | Vic Beasley | 15.5 | 16 | Atlanta Falcons |
| 2017 | Chandler Jones | 17 | 16 | Arizona Cardinals |
| 2018 | Aaron Donald | 20.5 | 16 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 2019 | Shaquil Barrett^ | 19.5 | 16 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers |
| 2020 | T. J. Watt^ | 15 | 15 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2021 | T. J. Watt^ (2) | 22.5 | 15 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2022 | Nick Bosa^ | 18.5 | 16 | San Francisco 49ers |
| 2023 | T. J. Watt^ (3) | 19 | 17 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2024 | Trey Hendrickson^ | 17.5 | 17 | Cincinnati Bengals |

## AFL annual sacks leaders

Key :
| Symbol | Meaning |
| Leader | The player who recorded the most sacks |
| Sacks | Total number of sacks |
| GP | Number of games played during the season |
| * | Single-season record |
| (#) | Denotes the number of times a player appears in this list |
AFL annual sacks leaders by season :
| Season | Leader | Sacks | GP | Team |
| 1960 | Mel Branch | 10* | 14 | Dallas Texans |
| 1960 | Riley Morris | 10* | 12 | Oakland Raiders |
| 1961 | Ed Husmann | 8 | 14 | Houston Oilers |
| 1961 | Ron Nery | 8 | 14 | San Diego Chargers |
| 1962 | Ed Husmann (2) | 10 | 14 | Houston Oilers |
| 1963 | Larry Eisenhauer | 8 | 14 | Boston Patriots |
| 1964 | Tom Sestak | 15.5* | 14 | Buffalo Bills |
| 1965 | Larry Eisenhauer (2) | 9.5 | 14 | Boston Patriots |
| 1966 | Verlon Biggs | 12.5 | 14 | New York Jets |
| 1967 | Ike Lassiter | 17* | 14 | Oakland Raiders |
| 1968 | Gerry Philbin | 14 | 14 | New York Jets |
| 1969 | Steve DeLong | 15.5 | 14 | San Diego Chargers |

## Most seasons leading the league

| Count | Player | Seasons | Team(s) |
| 5 | Deacon Jones | 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 3 | T. J. Watt | 2020, 2021, 2023 | Pittsburgh Steelers |
| 2 | Jared Allen | 2007, 2011 | Kansas City Chiefs / Minnesota Vikings |
| 2 | Al Baker | 1978, 1980 | Detroit Lions |
| 2 | Mark Gastineau | 1983, 1984 | New York Jets |
| 2 | Kevin Greene | 1994, 1998 | Pittsburgh Steelers / Carolina Panthers |
| 2 | Jim Katcavage | 1962, 1963 | New York Giants |
| 2 | Michael Strahan | 2001, 2003 | New York Giants |
| 2 | DeMarcus Ware | 2008, 2010 | Dallas Cowboys |
| 2 | J. J. Watt | 2012, 2015 | Houston Texans |
| 2 | Reggie White | 1987, 1988 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 2 | Jack Youngblood | 1974, 1979 | Los Angeles Rams |