Myles Garrett Breaks NFL Single-Season Sacks Record With 23rd Sack vs Bengals

By Swikblog Sports Desk | January 5, 2026

CINCINNATI — On a night defined by anticipation and pressure, Myles Garrett delivered a moment that will live permanently in NFL history.

The Cleveland Browns star defensive end recorded his 23rd sack of the season Sunday night against the Cincinnati Bengals, officially breaking the league’s single-season sacks record during a 20–18 Browns victory at Paycor Stadium.

Garrett surpassed the previous mark of 22.5 sacks, a record shared by Michael Strahan (2001) and T.J. Watt (2021), both of whom had stood as the modern-era standard for pass-rushing dominance.

The Play That Sealed History

After being held without a sack in Week 17, Garrett entered the season finale sitting just half a sack shy of history. Cincinnati adjusted protections throughout the night, moving him across the line — from edge rusher to defensive tackle and even blitzing him as an off-ball linebacker.

Finally, with 5:17 remaining in the fourth quarter, Garrett lined up wide, slipped past left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., and smothered quarterback Joe Burrow as he collapsed to the turf.

The crowd erupted. Garrett raised his arms in relief, briefly bowed, and was swarmed by teammates before returning to the field just one play later — the job finished, the record secured.

A Season of Separation

The record-breaking sack capped one of the most statistically dominant defensive seasons the league has seen.

The gap between Garrett and the rest of the NFL’s pass rushers was striking. His 23 sacks left him 5.5 sacks clear of the next-closest defender — a margin as large as the gap between second place and ninth.

Garrett also finished the season with a league-best 33 tackles for loss, shattering his previous career high.

Milestones That Define an Era

• First player in NFL history with 12+ sacks in six consecutive seasons
• Only player with 10+ sacks in eight straight seasons
• Recorded at least 20 sacks in a season twice
• Second-most sacks through a player’s first nine seasons since 1982

Garrett’s consistency has been just as remarkable as his peak performances. Before his streak ended in Week 17, he recorded at least a half-sack in nine straight games, including a five-sack explosion against the New England Patriots and a four-sack showing versus the Baltimore Ravens.

Chasing Legends — And Passing Them

With 125.5 career sacks, Garrett now trails only one player for the most sacks by a defender through their first nine seasons in the modern statistical era. He also passed Reggie White for the most sacks by a player before turning 30.

Since entering the league as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Garrett has outpaced every defender in total sacks, holding a double-digit advantage over the next-closest player.

Greatness in a Lost Season

The Browns’ season ultimately fell short of the playoffs, marking another frustrating year for the franchise. But Garrett’s pursuit of history became a rallying point inside the locker room, even after Cleveland was officially eliminated.

Before the season, Garrett signed a four-year, $160 million extension — then the largest contract ever given to a non-quarterback — cementing his place as the face of the franchise.

At 30 years old, and still performing at a historic level, Garrett’s record-breaking season stands as both a personal triumph and one of the defining defensive campaigns in NFL history.

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