Pittsburgh Steelers star edge rusher T.J. Watt’s 2023 regular season ended prematurely with an MCL sprain, but once again, he managed another record-breaking campaign.
With Week 18 in the books, Watt officially ends the year as the NFL sack leader with 19, becoming the first player in NFL history to lead the league in sacks on three occasions. He led the NFL in sacks with 15 in 2020 and 22.5 in 2021, which tied the previous official sack record set by Michael Strahan in 2001.
NFL sack leaders (2023)
1. T.J Watt (PIT) — 19.0
T-2. Trey Hendrickson (CIN) — 17.5
T-2. Josh Allen (JAX) — 17.5
4. Khalil Mack (LAC) — 17.0
5. Danielle Hunter (MIN) — 16.5
Watt broke the tie for most seasons as the NFL sack leader previously shared with six other players, including Strahan, Reggie White, and his brother J.J. Watt, among others, who have each done it twice in their careers. Watt entered the final weekend in a tie with Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson, each having 17, but he picked up two sacks before exiting the game against the Ravens with his knee injury. Watt also had the most quarterback hits on the season with 36.
He has ninety-six sacks in his seven-year career. With the exception of his debut season, Watt has made the Pro Bowl six out of his seven years. Before turning 30, Watt—the all-time leader in sacks for the Steelers—had a first-ballot Hall of Fame career CV, and he still has plenty of years left to rack up more accomplishments.
Notwithstanding Watt’s achievements this season, Myles Garrett of the Browns and Micah Parsons of the Cowboys have been leading the league in the most amount of time in terms of their chances of winning NFL Defensive Player of the Year. The Steelers’ season is still alive despite his predicted absence due to a knee injury. A victory over the Ravens and a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars secured a trip to the Wild Card Round of the 2023 NFL Playoffs, so it’s possible that we haven’t seen the last of him yet.
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