Guides › Sacks: the official era and the tightest category in the game
Sacks: the official era and the tightest category in the game
Sacks have been an official NFL statistic only since 1982. Every pass rusher on Pigskin Ladder began his career in 1983 or later, so all eleven totals are official, and they can be compared fairly. The category is still one of the trickiest in the game, because the middle of the list is extremely tight.
| Rank | Pass rusher | Teams | Career sacks | Behind previous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bruce Smith | BUF / WAS | 200 | – |
| 2 | Reggie White | PHI / GB / CAR | 198 | 2 |
| 3 | Kevin Greene | LARM / PIT / etc. | 160 | 38 |
| 4 | Julius Peppers | CAR / CHI / GB | 159.5 | 0.5 |
| 5 | Chris Doleman | MIN / ATL / SF | 150.5 | 9.0 |
| 6 | Michael Strahan | NYG | 141.5 | 9.0 |
| 7 | Jason Taylor | MIA / WAS / NYJ | 139.5 | 2.0 |
| 8 | Terrell Suggs | BAL / ARI / KC | 139 | 0.5 |
| 9 | DeMarcus Ware | DAL / DEN | 138.5 | 0.5 |
| 10 | Richard Dent | CHI / etc. | 137.5 | 1.0 |
| 11 | John Randle | MIN / SEA | 137.5 | 0.0 |
Two safe picks, then a scrum
Bruce Smith (200) and Reggie White (198) are well clear of everyone else. The third name on the list, Kevin Greene, has 160, a gap of 38 from White. Any matchup involving Smith or White against anyone else is a free rung.
After that, nine players from Greene (160) to Richard Dent and John Randle (both 137.5) are packed into 22.5 sacks, a spread of about 14%. This is the region where the Hall of Fame tier lives. The three closest matchups are Greene against Julius Peppers (160 to 159.5), Jason Taylor against Terrell Suggs (139.5 to 139) and Suggs against DeMarcus Ware (139 to 138.5). Each is separated by half a sack.
What half a sack means
When two defenders share a quarterback takedown, each is credited with a half sack. That is why seven of the eleven totals end in .5. It also means a half-sack difference is a single shared play over an entire career. You cannot reason your way to the answer, only remember it.
Two players who never face each other
Dent and Randle both finished with 137.5 sacks. Because Pigskin Ladder never pairs equal totals, you will not be asked to separate them.
The position label is broad
“Pass rusher” covers defensive ends and outside linebackers. Greene, Suggs and Ware spent much of their careers as linebackers in 3-4 schemes. Peppers, Strahan, White, Smith and Taylor lined up mainly as ends. The label does not change the number, but it helps explain why players who look very different on the field wind up with similar totals.
How to approach sack questions
- Smith and White beat everyone else on the list.
- Greene (160) beats every player below him, but only by half a sack against Peppers.
- For anything between 137.5 and 159.5, assume the result is close and lean on a memorized order.
- Do not guess based on how feared a player was. The numbers do not follow reputation.
Because the group is chosen first, sacks show up in about one round in four. The pass rushers table lists every total. Then start a climb.