NFL
What is the NFL record for times sacked in a single season?
Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams was sacked seven times during Sunday’s game against the 49ers and is on track to break an unwanted NFL record.
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is having a tough rookie season. On Sunday, he was sacked seven times during the game against the San Francisco 49ers for a loss of 46 yards, a trend that is becoming all too common.
What is the record for most times sacked in a single season and where does Caleb Williams rank?
Through 13 games, Williams has already racked up 56 sacks, 15 more than any other quarterback this season. On top of that, he’s lost 377 yards, 50 more than any other quarterback this season. At this rate, he just might break the record for most times sacked in a single season.
The current leader of that undesirable record is David Carr, who was sacked 76 times in his rookie season in 2002 as the quarterback for the Houston Texans expansion team. With a current average of four sacks a game and four games left to play, Williams is on pace to end the season with 72 sacks, which would be tied for the second-most in NFL history.
Through just 13 games, Williams is already tied for 17th on that list.
Leaders in sacks taken in an NFL season
| Rank | Name | Sack Total | Games Played | Season | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | David Carr | 76 | 16 | 2002 | Houston Texans |
| 2. | Randall Cunningham | 72 | 15 | 1986 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 3. | David Carr | 68 | 16 | 2005 | Houston Texans |
| 4. | Sam Howell | 65 | 17 | 2023 | Washington Commanders |
| 5. | Jon Kitna | 63 | 16 | 2006 | Detroit Lions |
| T6. | Bryce Young | 62 | 16 | 2023 | Carolina Panthers |
| T6. | Deshaun Watson | 62 | 16 | 2018 | Houston Texans |
| T6. | Steve Beuerlein | 62 | 16 | 2000 | Carolina Panthers |
| T6. | Ken O’Brien | 62 | 16 | 1985 | New York Jets |
| 10. | Neil Lomax | 61 | 16 | 1985 | St. Louis Rams |
| 11. | Randall Cunningham | 60 | 15 | 1992 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| 12. | Tony Eason | 59 | 16 | 1984 | New England Patriots |
| 13. | Ryan Tannehill | 58 | 16 | 2013 | Miami Dolphins |
| 14. | Jeff George | 57 | 16 | 1997 | Oakland Raiders |
| T15. | Mar Brunell | 57 | 15 | 2001 | Jacksonville Jaguars |
| T15. | Randall Cunningham | 57 | 16 | 1988 | Philadelphia Eagles |
| T17. | Caleb Williams | 56 | 13 | 2024 | Chicago Bears |
Williams' 377 yards lost is also getting up there, teasing to break the record. Right now, the record for most yards given up on sacks in a single season is 489, a record set by Randall Cunningham in 1986. At his current pace, Williams is set to surpass that with 493 yards given up. Let’s see if Bears interim head coach Thomas Brown can do something to fix this before the season is over.
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