5 Players with the Most sacks in NFL history
Take a look at the 5 players with the most sacks in NFL history.
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Bruce Smith (Image via Buffalo Bills)
The NFL is one of the most physical leagues in the world and has complex rules and regulations. Ultimately, it is a game of offense and defense. While many argue that offense is way more important than defense, they are equally important and can be decisive when winning the games.
The ability to get to the quarterback and disrupt the opposing team’s offense is highly valued in the NFL. One of the most important measures of a player’s effectiveness in this regard is the number of sacks they accumulate over their career.
Sacks occur when a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage before he can release the ball, and they are considered a significant achievement for any defensive player.
Over the years, there have been many outstanding defenders in different teams who have accumulated large numbers of sacks throughout their careers. Many of these defenders were highly influential for their teams and their sacks were sometimes way more important than the touchdowns being made.
If a touchdown can help you score points, then a sack can help you avoid getting hit by points. Both have an equal place in the NFL and this time let’s give a bit importance to the defenders who have laid down their lives to get the ball from the Quarterbacks. Take a look at the 5 players with the most sacks in NFL history. These are some wild sack stats and are only a small part of the crazy records of the mentioned list of players.
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5. Chris Doleman
Chris Doleman was a former American football player who played as a defensive end in the NFL for 15 seasons. Over the course of his career, Doleman accumulated 150.5 sacks, which is the fifth-most in league history.
He was named to the Pro Bowl eight times and was a first-team All-Pro selection twice. In addition, Doleman helped lead the Minnesota Vikings to an NFC Championship in 1987.
Doleman also played for the Atlanta Falcons and the San Francisco 49ers throughout the course of his career. He was known for his exceptional pass-rushing ability and his ability to disrupt plays in the backfield.
After retiring from the NFL, the former Falcons DE worked as a coach and broadcaster. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012.
Unfortunately, Doleman passed away on January 28, 2020, at the age of 58. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest pass rushers in NFL history and his impact on the game will be remembered for years to come.
4. Julius Peppers
Julius Peppers is a defensive end who played for the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers, and Carolina Panthers again during his 17-year career. He accumulated 159.5 sacks, which is the fourth-most in league history.
Peppers helped lead the Carolina Panthers to a Super Bowl appearance in 2003. Peppers was also named to the Pro Bowl nine times and was a three-time All-Pro.
After retiring from the NFL, Peppers returned to the University of North Carolina as a special assistant to the athletic director. In 2019, he was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
3. Kevin Greene
Kevin Greene was an outside linebacker who played for four different teams during his 15-year career. He accumulated 160 sacks, which is the third-most in the NFL record of sacks.
In the NFL, Greene played for the Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Carolina Panthers, and San Francisco 49ers. He was known for his tenacious pass-rushing ability and his high motor on the field.
Greene was named to the Pro Bowl five times and was a three-time All-Pro. Additionally, Greene helped lead the Pittsburgh Steelers to a Super Bowl appearance in 1995.
Sadly, Greene passed away on December 21, 2020, at the age of 58. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest pass rushers in NFL history.
2. Reggie White
Reggie White was a dominant defensive end who played for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers, and Carolina Panthers during his 15-year career. White accumulated 198 sacks, which is the second-most in the NFL record of sacks.
The former Panthers DE was named to the Pro Bowl 13 times and was also a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. White played college football at the University of Tennessee and help lead the Packers to a Super Bowl victory in 1997.
White tragically passed away at the age of 43 in 2004, but his impact on the NFL and the community has continued to be felt. He finished with 12 double-digit sack seasons, including nine straight to start his career — which is an NFL record. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006 and is widely considered to be one of the greatest defensive players in NFL history.
1. Bruce Smith
Bruce Smith is the all-time leader in career sack list with 200 over his 19-year career. He played for the Buffalo Bills and the Washington Redskins and was a dominant force throughout his career. Smith was an 11-time Pro Bowler and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year twice. He also made 15 fumble recoveries and 13 seasons with double-digit sacks.
mith played in the NFL for 19 seasons, after being first pick selection for the Buffalo Bills in the 1985 NFL Draft. The former Bills DE played for the team from 1985 to 1999 and then for the Washington Redskins from 2000 to 2003. Smith was known for his exceptional ability to rush the passer, his imposing physical presence on the field and incredible sack production. In addition to that, Smith helped lead the Buffalo Bills to four consecutive Super Bowl appearances in the early 1990s.
After retiring from the NFL, Smith was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009. Bruce Smith has also been recognized as one of the greatest players in NFL history, and his records for career sacks and most seasons with at least 10 sacks still stand to this day. Smith can hands down enter any all-time defensive team in history, credit to this impeccable record.
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Aamir Jethwa
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