Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt had two sacks this week to climb to 35th all-time on the NFL career sacks leaderboard.
Watt had two sacks while going up against Giants tackle Jermaine Eluemunor on Monday, including a strip sack of quarterback Daniel Jones that Watt also recovered late in the fourth quarter.
The two sacks gave Watt 103 in his career, moving him into 37th place in the NFL all-time leaderboard. Watt passed two players with his pair of sacks on Monday.
The first player he passed was Robert Quinn. Quinn spent most of his career with the St. Louis and Los Angeles Rams and also played with the Miami Dolphins, Dallas Cowboys, Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles in his 12-year NFL career that ended in 2022.
Quinn was a three-time Pro Bowler, earning nods in 2013 and 2014 and then again during a career resurgence, when he recorded 18.5 sacks at age 31 in 2021. He was a two-time All-Pro and was the 2013 PFWA NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
Robert Quinn with the Los Angeles Rams during pre-game warm-ups prior to a game against the Washington Redskins on September 20, 2015. — Keith Allison
Watt also passed former Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills defensive end Jim Jeffcoat. Jeffcoat played 15 NFL season, 12 in Dallas and three in Buffalo. Jeffcoat won back-to-back Super Bowls with the Cowboys in 1992 and 1993. Jeffcoat only had a career high of 14 sacks in 1986, but his longevity and consistency let him rack up 102.5 career sacks.
Watt needs 1.5 sacks to move into a tie for 35th place with Kevin Cart and Neil Smith. He is already the Steelers all-time sacks leader. Among the notable players just ahead of him are Pittsburgh native Aaron Donald (111) and older brother J.J. Watt (114.5). Watt started the season at 50th on the all-time list, tied with Warren Sapp.
Watt is also sixth in league history, just behind Donald, in sacks for players that spent their entire career with one team.
Sacks have only been an official NFL statistic since 1982. Pro Football Reference has cross-checked stat sheets to count stats dating back to 1960. In that leaderboard, Watt is tied for 55th with Fred Dryer and Tony McGee. Dryer played for the Rams and New York Giants from 1969-81. McGee played or the Chicago Bears, New England Patriots and Washington Redskins from 1971-84.
T.J WATT AMONG NFL CAREER SACKS LEADERS
Bruce Smith 200*
Reggie White 198*
Kevin Greene 160*
Julius Peppers 159.5*
Chris Coleman 150.5*
Michael Strahan 141.5*
Jason Taylor 139.5*
Terrell Suggs 139
DeMarcus Ware 138.5*
Richard Dent 137.5*
John Randle 137.5*
Jared Allen 136
John Abraham 133.5
Leslie O’Neal 132.5
Lawrence Taylor 132.5*
Rickey Jackson 128*
Von Miller 126.5
Derrick Thomas 126.5*
Dwight Freeney 125.5*
Robert Mathis 123
Simeon Rice 122
Clyde Simmons 121.5
Cameron Jordan 117.5
J.J. Watt 114.5
Sean Jones 113
Justin Houston 112
Chandler Jones 112
Aaron Donald 111
Greg Townsend 109.5
Calais Campbell 107.5
Pat Swilling 107.5
Trace Armstrong 106
Elvis Dumervil 105.5
Khalil Mack 105
Kevin Carter 104.5
Neil Smith 104.5
T.J. Watt 103
Jim Jeffcoat 102.5
Robert Quinn 102
William Fuller 100.5
Charles Haley 100.5*
Cameron Wake 100.5
Carlos Dunlap 100
Andre Tippett 100*
Joey Porter 98
Simon Fletcher 97.5
Jacob Green 97.5
Dexter Manley 97.5
Mario Williams 97.5
Warren Sapp 96.5*
BOLD played for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Italics active players. Asterisk* members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
