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NFL All-Time Sack Leaders, 1982 to 2025

Bruce Smith holds the official NFL career sack record with 200, just ahead of Reggie White (198), who passed Lawrence Taylor in 1993.

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What the data shows

  • In 2025, Bruce Smith ranks #1 with 200, ahead of Reggie White (198) and Kevin Greene (160).
  • Back in 1982, Lawrence Taylor was #1 with 8.
  • The top spot changed hands twice: Reggie White in 1993 and Bruce Smith in 2003.
  • Biggest climber: Julius Peppers, from #10 in 2002 to #4 in 2025.

About this chart

Bruce Smith finished with 200 official sacks between 1985 and 2003, two more than Reggie White (198), and no one has topped it since. Smith passed White in 2003. White, who had 137 at the end of 1993, had himself overtaken Lawrence Taylor (132.5) that year, after Taylor led the official list from 1982 until 1992.

Kevin Greene is third with 160, followed by Julius Peppers (159.5) and Chris Doleman (150.5). Michael Strahan retired with 141.5, Jason Taylor with 139.5 and Terrell Suggs with 139. DeMarcus Ware and Von Miller sit at 138.5, with Miller counted through the 2025 season. Sacks have been an official statistic only since 1982, so earlier sacks, such as those of Deacon Jones, are excluded.

The data

Source: Wikipedia player career-statistics tables (Kevin Greene: ESPN athlete stats API, https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/28/kevin-greene), summed per season into cumulative career sacks, 1982 onward; totals cross-checked against Wikipedia's career sacks list. Retrieved November 4, 2026. Column = NFL season (e.g. 2025 = 2025 season, played Sep 2025-Jan 2026). Regular season only. Seasons after 2025 are excluded (2026 season in progress on 2026-11-04). Players keep their final total after retiring. Sacks are an official NFL statistic only since 1982, so earlier sacks (e.g. Deacon Jones, Reggie White's USFL years, Lawrence Taylor's 9.5 in 1981) are excluded. Von Miller is the only active player shown. Kevin Greene's 1985 season (no sacks recorded) is not separately listed.

NFL All-Time Sack Leaders, Career sacks (official since 1982), cumulative, 1982-2025, 1982–2025
Date🇺🇸 Bruce Smith🇺🇸 Reggie White🇺🇸 Kevin Greene🇺🇸 Julius Peppers🇺🇸 Chris Doleman🇺🇸 Michael Strahan🇺🇸 Jason Taylor🇺🇸 Terrell Suggs🇺🇸 DeMarcus Ware🇺🇸 Von Miller🇺🇸 John Randle🇺🇸 Richard Dent🇺🇸 Lawrence Taylor
19820000000000008
198300000000000317
1984000000000002128
19857130010000003841
198622317040000004962
19873452140150000006274
19884570300230000007289
198958814704400000081104
199077956005500000193115
199178110630620000011104122
199292124730760000022112127
1993106137850891000035125133
1994116145990966000048127133
1995127157108010513000059127133
1996140166123011618000070133133
1997154177133012832500086138133
19981641931480143471400096138133
199917119316001515317000106138133
200018119816001516231000114138133
200118619816001518540000125138133
2002195198160121519658000132138133
200320019816019151114711200138138133
200420019816030151118812300138138133
200520019816041151130933180138138133
20062001981605415113310640200138138133
20072001981605615114211745340138138133
20082001981607115114212153540138138133
20092001981608115114212858650138138133
20102001981608915114213369800138138133
20112001981601001511421408310012138138133
20122001981601121511421408511130138138133
20132001981601191511421409511735138138133
201420019816012615114214010712749138138133
201520019816013615114214010713560138138133
201620019816014415114214011513974138138133
201720019816015515114214012613984138138133
201820019816016015114214013313998138138133
2019200198160160151142140139139106138138133
2020200198160160151142140139139106138138133
2021200198160160151142140139139116138138133
2022200198160160151142140139139124138138133
2023200198160160151142140139139124138138133
2024200198160160151142140139139130138138133
2025200198160160151142140139139139138138133

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Frequently asked questions

Who has the most sacks in NFL history?

Bruce Smith has the most official sacks in NFL history, with 200 between 1985 and 2003. Reggie White is second with 198 and Kevin Greene third with 160.

Why isn't Deacon Jones on the sack leaders list?

Sacks became an official NFL statistic only in 1982, so earlier sacks are excluded. That also leaves out Reggie White's USFL years and Lawrence Taylor's 9.5 sacks in 1981.

How many sacks does Von Miller have?

Von Miller has 138.5 sacks through the 2025 season, tied with DeMarcus Ware. He is the only active player in the data.

Where does this data come from?

Wikipedia player career-statistics tables (Kevin Greene: ESPN athlete stats API, https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/28/kevin-greene), summed per season into cumulative career sacks, 1982 onward; totals cross-checked against Wikipedia's career sacks list. Retrieved November 4, 2026. Column = NFL season (e.g. 2025 = 2025 season, played Sep 2025-Jan 2026). Regular season only. Seasons after 2025 are excluded (2026 season in progress on 2026-11-04). Players keep their final total after retiring. Sacks are an official NFL statistic only since 1982, so earlier sacks (e.g. Deacon Jones, Reggie White's USFL years, Lawrence Taylor's 9.5 in 1981) are excluded. Von Miller is the only active player shown. Kevin Greene's 1985 season (no sacks recorded) is not separately listed. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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