Since entering the NFL as the No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett has perennially been one of the league’s best players. And since the 2025 season started, the Denver Broncos have been among the league’s best teams at getting after opposing quarterbacks.
While the Broncos fell a little short rewriting the NFL record book, Garrett pulled out a season-finale show-stopper in Sunday’s Week 18 game by sacking Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow to reach 23 sacks, breaking the NFL’s single-season record.
The takedown in the Browns’ 20-18 victory pushed Garrett past the previous record of 22.5 sacks set by Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan in 2001 and matched by Pittsburgh Steelers edge rusher T.J. Watt in 2021.
The 2023 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and overwhelming favorite to win the award this season, Garrett has turned in a historic season, even with the Browns (5-12) finishing with their seventh losing season since he was drafted.
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Meanwhile, the Broncos finished with 68 sacks in 17 games, which put them four short of tying the single-season team record of 72, set by the Chicago Bears in 1984. The Broncos have seven players with four or more sacks. Edge rusher Nik Bonitto leads the way with 14, followed by edge Jonathon Cooper (8) and defensive tackles John Franklin-Myers (7.5) and Zach Allen (7).
We tracked Garrett and the Broncos in their quests to take down quarterbacks. Take a look through Browns reporter Daniel Oyefusi who followed Garrett’s pursuit of the record, and check out Broncos reporter Jeff Legwold’s evaluation of the Broncos’ pursuit of history.
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How Garrett got to 23 sacks through 17 games
Garrett’s performance: He is the 11th player (12th instance) to record more than 20 sacks in a season since the stat became official in 1982. With 5:17 left in Sunday’s game at Cincinnati, Garrett was able to duck past left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and corral Burrow. As the crowd at Paycor Stadium — about 250 miles from Cleveland — erupted, Garrett raised his arms in relief before putting his hands together and bowing while his teammates swarmed him. It marked the 12th time he had sacked Burrow in his career, breaking a tie with the Baltimore Ravens’ Lamar Jackson for the most times Garrett has sacked a quarterback.
Garrett’s performance: He did not record a sack, but he finished the game with one tackle and a quarterback hit. Garrett also recorded three quarterback pressures and came close to Aaron Rodgers on a handful of plays before the Steelers’ quarterback was able to get rid of the ball.
Garrett’s performance: He recorded a half-sack to increase his season total to 22, one shy of breaking the single-season record.
Garrett’s performance: He recorded 1.5 sacks to increase his season total to 21.5, one shy of tying the single-season record.
Myles Garrett and Shelby Harris took down Bears QB Caleb Williams early in the fourth quarter Sunday in Chicago. Erin Hooley/AP Photo
Garrett’s performance: Garrett became the 13th player to record 20 sacks in a season when he got to Tennessee’s Cam Ward in the second quarter.
Garrett’s performance: He extended his NFL-leading sacks to total 19 by taking down 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy in the fourth quarter. The takedown of Purdy marked the sixth straight game Garrett has recorded a sack.
Garrett’s performance: Garrett’s three-sack game headlined a 10-sack performance for the Browns’ swarming pass rush, giving him his career high and bettering the franchise record he previously established in 2021 and 2022.
“I won’t try to delay [breaking the record], but I want it to come in a win,” Garrett said after the game.
Browns DE Myles Garrett has reached a decision regarding your quarterback. Ian Maule/Getty Images
Garrett’s performance: Garrett’s four sacks tied an NFL record, giving him 10 sacks over a three-game span. He also became the first player in league history to record at least 12 sacks in six consecutive seasons — breaking a tie with Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor — and the fourth player in league history to log four sacks in multiple games in a season.
Garrett’s performance: Garrett added another sack, giving him the second-most sacks (11) by a Browns player after 10 weeks — he recorded 13 sacks through the first 10 weeks of the 2021 season.
Week 9: Bye week
Garrett entered the Browns’ bye with 10 sacks, tied with the New York Giants’ Brian Burns for the most in the NFL. Despite trade rumors and speculation surrounding Garrett, who has a no-trade clause, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline that there is “no chance” the Browns consider dealing Garrett.
Myles Garrett sitting alone at the end of the bench amid his best statistical game, 5 sacks. But the Browns are 2 min away from dropping to 2-6 for the second straight year with the bye week approaching. pic.twitter.com/vagRGvHTFr
— Daniel Oyefusi (@DanielOyefusi) October 26, 2025
Garrett’s performance: In the most impressive single-game performance in his career and Browns history, Garrett registered five sacks. Garrett also surpassed Hall of Famer Reggie White (108 sacks) for the most sacks by a player under the age of 30 since 1982.
However, the performance was diminished by another lopsided defeat, as Garrett sulked on the bench in the game’s final minutes.
“I would throw the whole performance away for a win,” Garrett said.
Garrett’s performance: He ended his three-game drought, registering one sack as the Browns also snapped a three-game losing streak.
Garrett’s performance: For the third straight game, Garrett didn’t record a sack, sparking him to call for a change to the defensive game plan.
“At the end of the day, offenses’ sole game plan for the most part is how to stop 95,” Garrett said days later. “And we have to do something to change that, to make adjustments to get me matchups just like other edge rushers around the league, so I can have that same kind of effect, because I feel like I’m that kind of player.”
Garrett’s performance: He was held without a sack for the second consecutive game, as well as a season-low 6.3% pressure rate.
Garrett’s performance: He was held without a sack for the first time this season. He still accounted for five pressures and two quarterback hits.
Garrett’s performance: He recorded only a half-sack as the Browns secured their first victory of the season, but he was still impactful. Garrett recorded multiple pressures in a game for the 94th time in his career, breaking a tie with Watt for the second most since ESPN began tracking the stat in 2006.
Garrett’s performance: The veteran followed up his season debut with a 1.5-sack performance against the Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson. Garrett, though, was in no mood to reflect on his individual game after a blowout loss that he called “embarrassing.”
Garrett’s performance: Garrett began his march toward history with a two-sack performance against the Bengals and Joe Burrow, the quarterback he has taken down the most in his career (11 sacks). It marked Garrett’s 23rd career game with multiple sacks.
Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto (15) and defensive end John Franklin-Myers (98) celebrate after Bonitto tackled Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts during their game on Oct. 5 in Philadelphia. Matt Rourke/AP
Where things finished for the Broncos (68 sacks through 17 games)
How did the Broncos do? The Broncos finished with four sacks — Nik Bonitto had 1.5 in the game to finish with a career-best 14 this season — and could have had more on elusive Chargers quarterback Trey Lance (“it felt like we had like four more,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said). The Broncos, who are the sixth team to finish with at least 68 sacks in a season since it became an official statistic in 1982, had 17 players finish with at least a half of a sack.
How did the Broncos do? Facing No. 3 quarterback Chris Oladokun, who has some ability as a runner in scramble situations, Denver coach Sean Payton said the Broncos “couldn’t be rushing for sacks. … We had to keep him in the pocket.” The Broncos finished with one sack with that approach, as Jonah Elliss and Dondrea Tillman combined for a sack in the third quarter.
How did the Broncos do? If it’s possible for a defense not to feel good about a five-sack night, that’s where the Broncos were after the loss to the Jaguars. The Broncos tied the single-season franchise record with 63 (which was set in 2024), thanks to two sacks from defensive tackle John Franklin-Myers. But Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence was not flustered, finishing 23-of-36 passing for 279 yards and three touchdowns.
How did the Broncos do? It took nearly 40 minutes for the Broncos to get their first sack of the game, with Elliss finally getting to Jordan Love with five minutes left in the third quarter. It was the first of three in the game for the Broncos, who finished with 15 quarterback hits. The Broncos have not been held without a sack in any game this season.
Broncos’ performance: The Broncos sacked Raiders quarterbacks Geno Smith and Kenny Pickett a combined four times to push their season total to 55. Nik Bonitto had two sacks to give him 12.5 for the season. He was only one away from his single-season best of 13.5 sacks, which he set last season en route to Pro Bowl and second-team All Pro honors. Malcolm Roach and Franklin-Myers each added a sack.
Broncos’ performance: The Commanders made it clear early that they weren’t going to give the Broncos many chances to sack Marcus Mariota. The ball came out early and the Commanders used bigger personnel groupings to keep the Broncos’ base defense on the field more than most opponents have. The Broncos still had two sacks — one by Bonitto and another by Tillman — to push their season total to 51.
Week 12: Bye week
In what might be the most remarkable stat, defensive tackle Zach Allen exited the bye week as the league leader in quarterback hits with 30, three more than sack leader Myles Garrett. The Broncos’ 49 sacks through 11 games kept them on a record pace and is the most a team has had through 11 games since the 2000 New Orleans Saints. Those Saints also had 49 sacks and finished with 66 in 16 games.
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Broncos’ performance: Denver sacked Patrick Mahomes three times — the fifth time it has sacked Mahomes at least three times in a game — as the Broncos defeated the Chiefs for only the second time in a Mahomes start. Cornerback Ja’Quan McMillian had two sacks, including one late in the fourth quarter that got the ball back to the Broncos for their game-winning drive. The Broncos closed the week as the NFL’s only team with five players with at least four sacks, with McMillian included in that mix.
Week 10: vs. Las Vegas Raiders (10-7 win)
Broncos’ performance: The Broncos sacked Smith six times and intercepted him once. Seven Broncos had at least a half-sack and the Broncos exited the week with three players — Bonitto, Jonathon Cooper and Allen — among the league’s top 15 in sacks. The Broncos’ season total increased to 46. Said Allen: “As a defensive lineman [a sack] is your favorite stat. The fact we are getting them is very special. … Obviously, I’d like to have a little bit less half-sacks with Bonitto and all these guys. But it’s a good problem to have.”
Broncos’ performance: Denver sacked the Texans’ quarterbacks four times — C.J. Stroud left the game with a concussion and was relieved by Davis Mills — and held Houston without a touchdown. It moved the Broncos to 40 sacks after nine games, maintaining their record pace and separating them from the next-best team — the Lions — by 12 sacks.
Broncos’ performance: The Broncos sacked Dak Prescott twice and intercepted him twice as Prescott eventually gave way to Joe Milton III. With 36 sacks, the Broncos again pushed 10 ahead of the No. 2 team, the Rams. The Broncos also found themselves with the league’s top two players in quarterback hits, with Allen leading with 22 and Bonitto at 17.
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Broncos’ performance: The Broncos sacked Giants rookie Jaxson Dart four times and intercepted him once. But Dart also found enough room for three touchdown passes. But most will only remember the Broncos’ 33-point fourth quarter — Denver trailed 19-0 at the start of the final period — to get their fourth consecutive win. With 34 sacks, the Broncos remained on a record pace.
Broncos’ performance: Denver sacked Justin Fields nine times, the most the Broncos have had since a 10-sack game in 1969, when they were in the AFL. The Jets finished with minus-10 net passing yards thanks to the 55 yards lost on the sacks. Eight different Broncos players had at least a half-sack, and the Broncos’ 30 sacks after six games put them 10 ahead of the next-best team and on a ridiculous 85-sack season pace. On the minus-10 passing yards, Bonitto said, “I was shocked when they told us after the game. That’s pretty funny.”
Broncos’ performance: The Broncos were able to keep Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts in the pocket, sacking him six times and registering eight quarterback hits while holding the reigning Super Bowl MVP to 3 yards rushing on two carries. Bonitto added 2.5 more sacks to give Denver 21 after five games. This is the game that firmly put the Broncos on pace — at 4.2 sacks per game — to challenge the single-season sack record. Said coach Sean Payton on Bonitto after the win: “He’s a super pass rusher. You guys have seen the confidence just grow and grow with him. … It’s a quarterback that’s hard to sack. So I’m glad he is on our team.”
Broncos’ performance: The Broncos sacked Jake Browning, who was filling in for the injured Joe Burrow, three times as the Bengals managed only 159 total yards. Bonitto had 1.5 sacks, helping the Broncos surge into the league lead with 15 sacks. After the game, Bonitto, who had 4.5 sacks in four games, said: “I just feel like I’m a more confident player this year. I’m seeing things a lot faster, I’m trusting myself in a lot of things I’m doing within the defense.”
Broncos’ performance: The Broncos sacked Justin Herbert five times and hit him 14 times. Bonitto had two sacks (his first multi-sack game of the season) and five of those quarterback hits. The Broncos’ defense exited the week tied with the Rams for the league lead in sacks with 12. But despite swarming Herbert, Denver allowed the Chargers 29 first downs, the most they’ve given up this season.
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Broncos’ performance: They got to Colts quarterback Daniel Jones once — linebacker Justin Strnad sacked Jones early in the third quarter. Jones’ 316 passing yards were the most against the Broncos this season, and this was the only game this season in which the Broncos did not have at least two sacks. The Broncos exited Week 2 tied for fifth in the league with seven sacks.
Broncos’ performance: They made Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward’s first NFL start a difficult one. They sacked Ward six times — by six different players — hit him 14 times and held Ward to 112 yards passing on 12 completions. “We just accept the challenge no matter what quarterback is out there, whether you’ve seen them before we know what affects the quarterback pressure, getting to him, making sure he feels uncomfortable in that pocket,” said Cooper, who had one sack.
