Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt has a chance to not only tie the all-time single-season NFL sack record, but can break it with at least 1.5 sacks against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
With the Steelers playoff chances remaining slim, Watt breaking the record would be one of the few bright spots to a mediocre season.
So of course with that possibility, there are people in the sports world out there who are try to delegitimize Watt’s possible accomplishment.
You see, Michael Strahan, who currently own the record with 22.5 sacks in a season, did it back in 2001, when the NFL was still only playing 16 games.
This year, the league added a 17th game so there should be an asterisk next to it right?
Related
No.
It took Strahan 16 games to break the sack record and Watt will only be playing in his 15th game, having dealt with knee and groin issues throughout parts of the season, as well as a week on the team’s COVID list (he was activated before that week’s game and was able to play in Week 13 against the Ravens).
Another reason that Watt’s record will be legitimate is the complete garbage way that Strahan broke it.
In the final regular season in 2001 between the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants, Packers quarterback Brett Favre basically ran to Strahan and crumpled to the ground in front of him to basically gift him the sack.
Green Bay was up by 9 with 2:42 left in the game, so it wasn’t any skin off Favre’s back.
If some Watt or Steelers hater gives you any attitude of Watt potentially breaking Strahan’s record, you can kindly point these facts out to them this weekend.