Who is the NFL sack leader in 2020?
In a 2020 season where offensive records are being smashed, it’s easy to forget that the NFL has some tremendous defensive players, too. As always, pass-rushers are one of the most important players on the field. Fans often focus on the league leaders in sacks, so let's take a look at the current board.
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt currently has the most sacks in the NFL with 11. He's just edging out Los Angeles Rams superstar defensive tackle Aaron Donald (10.) Watt took the league lead in sacks this week when he dropped Baltimore Ravens quarterback Robert Griffin III twice behind the line of scrimmage.
Week 12’s matchup with the Ravens was the third time this season Watt has recorded multiple sacks in a game. The former University of Wisconsin standout had two sacks two weeks ago against the Cincinnati Bengals. He was also credited with 2.5 sacks in NFL Week 2 against the Denver Broncos.
In his fourth season in the NFL, Watt has established himself as a consistent pass- rushing force. In his rookie year, he tallied seven sacks, and that figure has only increased each season. Last year, he posted 14.5 sacks, so he is well on his way to a career-high in 2020. Plus, he’s only missed one game in his entire career, so he's been quite durable for the Steelers.
The NFL has three Watts currently playing in it
Watt comes from a productive football family. His brothers J.J. and Derek are also NFL players. J.J. is one of the most recognizable stars in the NFL. He is no stranger to wrecking games with an unrelenting pass-rush of his own. In fact, he is a three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year. He has also broken the 20 sack mark twice. He’s battled injury in recent years, but he has remained healthy in 2020.
J.J. naturally watches his brother's career unfold. He even appeared to criticize the officiating in the Wednesday’s Ravens-Steelers tilt. He seemingly commenting that the Ravens’ offensive linemen were getting away with holding his brother, who was rushing off the edge. Clearly, J.J. thought T.J. could have been even more impactful in this game.
Derek, on the other hand, earns his paycheck on the offensive side of the football as a fullback. After he began his career with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers, Derek joined his brother T.J. in Pittsburgh. He signed with the Steelers this past NFL offseason.
If T.J. continues to play like one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL, he will command a big day sooner rather than later. The Steelers have already exercised his fifth-year option for next season. So he'll be with the franchise for at least one more year. During that time, he'll aim to continue his dominance in the NFL AFC North.