Quarterback sack

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In gridiron football, a sack occurs when the quarterback (or another offensive player acting as a passer) is tackled behind the line of scrimmage before throwing a forward pass, when the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage in the "pocket" and without clear intent, or when a passer runs out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage due to defensive pressure.{{cite web |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/Stats_Manuals/Football/2011ez.pdf |title= 2011 Football Statisticians Manual, p. 17 |publisher=NCAA |access-date=October 15, 2017}} This often occurs if the opposing team's defensive line, linebackers or defensive backs are able to apply pass pressure (also called a pass rush) to quickly get past blocking players of the offensive team (the quarterback's protection), or if the quarterback is unable to find an available eligible receiver (including wide receivers, running backs and tight ends) to catch the ball, allowing the defense a longer opportunity to tackle the quarterback.

A sack is advantageous for the defending team as the offense loses a down, and the line of scrimmage retreats several yards. Even better for the defense is a sack causing the quarterback to fumble the ball at or behind the line of scrimmage; this is also known as a strip sack and can result in a turnover if the defense manages to obtain the ball. A quarterback who is pressured but avoids a sack can still be adversely affected by being forced to hurry.

The quarterback must pass the statistical line of scrimmage to avoid the sack. If a passer is sacked in his own end zone, the result is a safety and the defending team is awarded two points. If the football is fumbled and recovered either inside the end zone by the defense, or outside the end zone and is returned to the end zone this results in a touchdown for the defense.

Statistical record rules

File:Patrick Kerney sacks Aaron Rodgers.jpg quarterback Aaron Rodgers being sacked by Seattle defensive end Patrick Kerney in 2009.]]

To be considered a sack, the quarterback must intend to throw a forward pass. If the play is designed for the quarterback to rush (run) the ball, any loss is subtracted from the quarterback's rushing total (and the play is ruled a tackle for loss as opposed to a sack). If the quarterback's intent is not obvious, statisticians use certain criteria, such as the offensive line blocking scheme, to decide. Unique situations where a loss reduces a quarterback's rushing total (not a sack) are "kneel downs" (used to run time off the game clock).

A player will receive credit for half of a sack when multiple players contribute to the sacking of a quarterback, even if more than two players contributed.

In the National Football League (NFL), it is possible to record a sack for zero yards. The NFL subtracts yards lost due to sacks from teams' passing totals (though the quarterback's individual passing total stats remain unchanged),{{cite web | url=https://www.nflgsis.com/gsis/documentation/stadiumguides/guide_for_statisticians.pdf | title=Guide for Statisticians | publisher=National Football League | accessdate=August 10, 2020}} while the NCAA subtracts sack yardage from individual rushing totals.{{Cite web|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/Stats_Manuals/Football/2018ez.pdf|title=2018 Football Statisticians' Manual|publisher=National Collegiate Athletic Association}}

History

File:Cougars on offense at BYU at Air Force 2010-09-11.jpg quarterback Riley Nelson being sacked by Air Force.]]

The term sack was first popularized in the 1960s by Hall of Fame defensive end Deacon Jones, who felt that a quarterback being sacked devastated the offense in the same way that a city was devastated when it was sacked.{{cite news|title=Jones, NFL coiner of 'sack the quarterback,' dies at 74|url=https://www.cnn.com/2013/06/04/us/sport-deacon-jones-death/index.html|work=CNN|accessdate=June 5, 2013|date=June 4, 2013}}{{cite av media | title=#15: David 'Deacon' Jones - The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players (2010) - #FlashbackFridays | date=May 13, 2016 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqcmuCcwCiU | time=1:53 | via=YouTube }} In 1999, Jones provided a Los Angeles Times reporter with some other detailed imagery about his forte: "You take all the offensive linemen and put them in a burlap bag, and then you take a baseball bat and beat on the bag. You're sacking them, you're bagging them. And that’s what you're doing with a quarterback."{{cite news|last=Goldstein |first=Richard|title=Deacon Jones Dies at 74; Made Quarterback Sack Brutal and Enthralling|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/sports/football/deacon-jones-fearsome-nfl-defensive-end-dies-at-74.html?hpw|access-date=June 6, 2013|newspaper=The New York Times|date=June 6, 2013}}

According to former NFL coach Marv Levy, Washington Redskins coach George Allen may have coined the term when referring to Dallas Cowboys quarterback Craig Morton{{cite web | url=https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/06/16/levy-explains-how-deacon-jones-came-up-with-sack/ | title=Levy explains how Deacon Jones came up with 'sack' | first=Mike | last=Florio | author-link=Mike Florio | date=June 16, 2013 | website=Profootballtalk.com | accessdate=August 10, 2020}} when he purportedly stated before a game, "Before we play those Dallas Cowboys, we’re going to take that Morton salt and pour him into a sack."

Prior to sack, the term dump was often used, as the NFL's statistical office recorded all sacks under "dumping the passer".{{cite news|title=Sack or Dump: To Quarterback It's All Downhill|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19751107&id=72kaAAAAIBAJ&pg=5990,3948674|accessdate=June 5, 2013|newspaper=The Milwaukee Journal|date=November 7, 1975}}

The NFL only began to keep track of times passers lost yardage in 1961[http://www.nfl.com/history/randf/records/indiv/passing NFL Records] and no credit was given to the defensive player responsible until 1982.[http://www.nfl.com/history/randf/records/indiv/sacks NFL Records] Researcher John Turney of the Pro Football Researchers Association estimated that Jones recorded 173½ sacks in his career.{{cite news |last=Branch |first=John |title=Unofficially, Sack Record Doesn't Add Up |date=November 4, 2006 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/04/sports/football/04giants.html |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150901134522/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/04/sports/football/04giants.html?_r=0 |archivedate=September 1, 2015 |url-status=live }}

Controversial NFL rule changes made for the 2018 season prohibit tacklers from landing on the quarterback after making a sack, with the punishment being a roughing the passer penalty.{{Cite news | url=https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2018/9/27/17911444/nfl-roughing-the-passer-penalty-explanation-clay-matthews | title=The NFL's controversial new roughing the passer rule, explained in a 3-minute read | first=Adam | last=Stiles | date=September 27, 2018 | work=SBNation.com | access-date=2018-09-28}}

Pass pressure

File:Nate Longshore under pressure AFB 071231-F-7061J-010.JPEG

Of all forms of defensive pressure against the opposition's passer, sacks provide the most immediate impact by ending the offensive play.{{cite news|last=Schatz|first=Aaron|title=Examining the art of the hurry|date=June 1, 2010|work=ESPN.com|url=https://insider.espn.com/nfl/insider/news/story?id=5238886|access-date=February 2, 2014}}{{subscription required}} However, quarterbacks sometimes avoid a sack by throwing an incomplete pass or risking an interception.{{cite news|last1=Long|first1=Howie|last2=Czarnecki|first2=John|title=Football For Dummies|year=2011|publisher=John Wiley & Sons|page=166|isbn=9781118051610|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pbduM8Jyc34C&q=quarterback%20hurry%20dummies&pg=PA166|accessdate=February 2, 2014}} According to Football Outsiders, a quarterback hurry is the most common form of pass pressure. In the 2009 NFL season, there were 1,106 sacks and 3,268 hurries, and a hurried quarterback generally averaged fewer yards per pass play compared to the average pass play.

NFL records

These records are from 1982 onwards, the year the NFL started officially recording sacks.

NFL single-season sacks: 22.5, T. J. Watt, 2021 and Michael Strahan, 2001
NFL career sacks: 200, Bruce Smith, 1985–2003
NFL single-game sacks: 7, Derrick Thomas, November 11, 1990 vs. Seattle Seahawks{{NoteTag|Norm Willey made 17 sacks during one game according to 1952 newspaper accounts. However, sacks weren't an official statistic at the time.{{Cite web|url=http://www.profootballresearchers.org/archives/Website_Files/Coffin_Corner/19-04-707.pdf|website=Pro Football Researchers Association|title=The Legend Of "Wild Man" Willey|author=Pollack, Ron}}}}
NFL sacks, rookie season: 14.5, Jevon Kearse, 1999
NFL seasons leading league in sacks: 3, T. J. Watt, 2020, 2021, 2023{{cite web |last1=DeArdo |first1=Bryan |title=Steelers' T.J. Watt makes NFL history as first player to lead league in sacks three different times |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/steelers-t-j-watt-makes-nfl-history-as-first-player-to-lead-league-in-sacks-three-different-times/ |website=CBS Sports |access-date=27 March 2024 |language=en |date=28 December 2023}}
NFL seasons with 20.0 or more sacks: 2, J. J. Watt, 2012 & 2014{{cite news |url = https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/j-j--watt-becomes-only-two-time-20-sack-player--does-so-on-safety-210051599.html |title = J.J. Watt becomes only two-time 20-sack player, does so on safety |access-date = February 1, 2015 |date = December 28, 2015 |website = Yahoo! Sports |last = Edholm |first = Eric }}
NFL most consecutive games recording a sack: 11, Chris Jones, 2018
NFL most consecutive games recording a sack (team): 75, Pittsburgh Steelers, 2016–2021{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/blog/pittsburgh-steelers/post/_/id/32807/steelers-nfl-record-of-75-games-with-a-sack-ends-vs-bengals | title=Steelers' NFL record of 75 games with a sack ends vs. Bengals | date=September 27, 2021 }}
NFL career sacks taken: 557, Tom Brady, 2000–2022[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_sacked_career.htm NFL Career Sacked Leaders – Pro-Football-Reference.com]
NFL single-season sacks taken: 76, David Carr, 2002[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_sacked_single_season.htm NFL Single-Season Sacked Leaders – Pro-Football-Reference.com]
NFL game sacks taken: 12, Warren Moon, September 29, 1985 and Donovan McNabb, September 30, 2007[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/pass_sacked_single_game.htm NFL Single Game Sacked Leaders – Pro-Football-Reference.com]
NFL Super Bowl most sacks in a single game: 12, Carolina vs. Denver, 50 (7 by Denver, 5 by Carolina)
NFL Super Bowl most sacks by a player in a single game: 3{{NoteTag|L. C. Greenwood had 4 sacks in Super Bowl X.{{cite news |url = http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/nfl/super/superbowl-x-plays.htm |title = Super Bowl X play-by-play |work = USA Today |access-date = April 5, 2013 |date = January 11, 2002 }} However, sacks were not officially recorded by the NFL at that point.}}

:* Reggie White – Green Bay vs. New England, XXXI

:* Darnell Dockett – Arizona vs. Pittsburgh, XLIII

:* Kony Ealy – Carolina vs. Denver, 50

:* Grady Jarrett – Atlanta vs. New England, LI

NFL Super Bowl most sacks, career (sacks compiled since XVII)

:* 4.5, Charles Haley – 5 games San Francisco XXIII, XXIV, Dallas XXVII, XXVIII, XXX

:* 4.5, Von Miller – 2 games Denver 50 and Los Angeles Rams LVI{{cite web|url=https://broncoswire.usatoday.com/2022/02/14/super-bowl-history-von-miller-most-super-bowl-sacks/|title=Von Miller made NFL history in Super Bowl LVI|first=Jon|last=Heath|website=Broncos Wire|date=February 14, 2022|access-date=February 14, 2022}}

Notes

References

External links

{{cite web | url=http://archive.profootballweekly.com/content/archives/features_1999/turney_062600.asp | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081105075549/http://archive.profootballweekly.com/content/archives/features_1999/turney_062600.asp | archive-date=November 5, 2008 | title=Sack story: Setting the record straight on all of those QB takedowns | first=John | last=Turney | date=June 26, 2000 | work=Pro Football Weekly}}
[https://www.pro-football-reference.com/leaders/sacks_career.htm Pro-football-reference.com enumeration of career sack leaders]

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