BALTIMORE — T.J. Watt tied the NFL record for most sacks in a season with a second-quarter takedown of Tyler Huntley during Sunday’s Pittsburgh Steelers game at the Baltimore Ravens.
The sack gave Watt 22½, tying him with Michael Strahan’s 2001 total while he was playing for the New York Giants. Sacks became an official NFL statistic in 1982.
“I don’t know if any of this has hit me,” Watt said after Sunday’s 16-13 overtime win. “It’s not just myself. It’s so many other people involved, great players, coaches, schemes and a lot of unselfish guys in the locker room that allow me to make plays. So, that record is not just mine.”
The NFL expanded its schedule to 17 games this season, but Watt missed two full games and more than half of three others because of injuries.
T.J. Watt ties @michaelstrahan’s single-season sack record! (22.5) #HereWeGo
— NFL (@NFL) January 9, 2022
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“Man, I couldn’t be more excited for that dude,” Steelers defensive captain Cameron Heyward said of Watt.
“As a team, you just want to see a guy succeed. So, I am sure TJ is gonna tell you he couldn’t break that sack record without a bunch of other guys helping him.”
Watt last month surpassed the Steelers’ season sacks record, 16 set by James Harrison in 2008.
A two-time finalist for NFL defensive player of the year, Watt likely is a shoo-in to again finish among the top three in balloting for that award. The winner will be announced next month in advance of the Super Bowl.
Watt appeared to have tied the record during a first-quarter forced fumble of Huntley, but official scorers ruled the play as “aborted” after a bad snap.
“I don’t really want to get into that,” Watt said. “I was just happy to get another sack.”
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