The official record is 22.5, shared by Michael Strahan and TJ Watt. The unofficial record is 23, set by Al “Bubba” Baker in 1978 with the Detroit Lions’ famous Silver Rush.
The discrepancy: The NFL didn’t start tracking sacks until 1982. A lot of football was played before that era. According to Pro Football Reference, which analyzed box scores and film from 1960-1982, Baker sacked QBs 23 times in 1978.
Speaking to Tony Grossi for TheLandOnDemand.com, Baker said he is looking for Myles Garrett to break both the official and unofficial hitting records.
“Myles Garrett will break 23 because he’s run,” Baker told Grossi. “And I guarantee you he knows Al Bubba Baker has 23. So that’s what he’s going to break and that’s what he wants to break. And he’s going to do it because that’s how [pass rushers’] mindsets are.
“And he’s the leading defensive player in the entire National Football League. Has been for, I’d say, five years. I mean, you’d think the Browns are 15-2 with how many sacks he has. He’s just a great defensive end. He’s a tremendous end.”
Garrett leads the NFL with 19.0 sacks in 2025, setting a Browns single-season record. He has three more sacks than three entire teams (Cincinnati 18, Carolina 18, San Francisco 16).
Garrett has three games with 3.0 sacks – only Lawrence Taylor has more in one season (four in his 1986 MVP season).
He is currently on pace for 26 sacks, which would obliterate all records – official and unofficial.
“Myles Garrett is doing all of this right now,” Baker told Grossi. “I can guarantee you that. He knows about the record. He knows he wants to shut up about me or anybody else. He doesn’t want 22 and a half. He wants 25, 27. And he can do it. That’s how we think.
“And I’ll tell you, the true test is the last one to make the 23. Let’s say that last five. You know why? Because every offensive lineman will say, ‘If somebody beats that, they damn well better not be No. 95.’
“I wish him the best because nobody’s talked about 23. I’m the guy who’s the unofficial guy. But that 22 and a half? TJ Watt is there and Michael Strahan, I’d like to see him do nothing better than put it in a place where nobody can question it. Yeah, that’s right. That’s Myles Garrett. And he deserves it.”
Garrett’s 0.72 drop rate is the fastest in the NFL this season, according to Next Generation Stats, allowing him to win double teams (wandering on 25.6 percent of his rushes, second most in 2025 behind only TJ Watt).
“Myles Garrett is awesome,” Baker said. “He’s faster than the quarterback in my day. He’s bigger, stronger. Fit. These guys have their own coaches and all that.”
Baker believes Garrett can take down the single-season sack record, but stopped short of calling him the greatest pass rusher of all time.
“It’s very premature, because the greatest runner of all time has 200 [sacks]” said Baker. “His name is Bruce Smith.”
If he breaks the single-season mark, Garrett (121.5 career sacks) can try to target Smith next.