Aidan Hutchinson is carrying Lions defense with record sack pace

The sack is, somehow, still an underappreciated skill among some NFL fans today.

The NFL has quickly grown in global popularity, primarily because of high-flying offenses. It seems offensive records are being chased and broken more often because the league has expanded the rules and imposed harsher penalties on defenses. Some fans love the offensive explosions for their fantasy football players, touchdowns, and gaudy scores for their favorite teams, but great defense can provide that identical excitement.

The NFL sack leader heading into Week 4 is Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson. He leads the NFL with 6 1/2 sacks heading into Detroit's Week 4 showdown with the Seattle Seahawks on "Monday Night Football."

Through the first three weeks of the season, the No. 2 overall pick from the 2022 NFL draft has been the best defensive player in the league. His outstanding play has thrust him into the Defensive Player of the Year conversation early on.

Aidan Hutchinson stats

Through three games, Hutchinson is on pace for 91 total tackles, a gaudy (and unlikely) 37 sacks and six forced fumbles. In Week 1 against the Rams, he finished with a single sack. He followed it up with a 4 1/2 sack performance against Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers. In Week 3, he had one sack against the Cardinals.

On Monday night in the trenches, he will be lined up across from left tackle Charles Cross and right tackle Stone Forsythe. According to PFF, the Seahawks rank 27th in pass blocking, while Hutchinson is tied with Myles Garrett as the top overall graded pass rusher in 2024.

There are a dozen current NFL defensive superstars that can dominate a game, but the NFL sack record has been difficult to topple. However, Hutchinson is on pace to shatter the single-season sack record set by Michael Strahan at 22 1/2 sacks.

What is NFL single-season sack record?

Michael Strahan of the New York Giants set the single-season sack record in 2001 at 22 1/2.

Twenty years later, T.J. Watt of the Pittsburgh Steelers tied the record with 22 1/2 sacks in the 2021 season. When Watt tied the record, he played in just 15 games and left with an injury in the first half of another. Strahan played in all 16 games when he set the record.

In 2023, Watt played in all 17 games, finishing with a league-high 19 sacks.

What is a sack in football?

A sack occurs when a defensive player tackles the quarterback while behind the line of scrimmage. It has been an official statistic since 1982.

NFL single-season sack record

• T1 Michael Strahan 22 1/2 (2001, NYG)

• T1 T.J. Watt 22 1/2 (2021, PIT)

• T3 Justin Houston 22 (2014, KC)

• T3 Jared Allen 22 (2011, MIN)

• T3 Mark Gastineau 22 (1984, NYJ)

• T6 Chris Doleman 21 (1989, MIN)

• T6 Reggie White 21 (1987, PHI)

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2024 NFL sack leaders

• Aidan Hutchinson, Detroit: 6 1/2 (three games played)

• Kyle Van Noy, Baltimore: 6 (four games played)

• Pat Jones II, Minnesota: 5 (four games played)

• Will McDonald IV, New York Jets: 5 (four games played)

• Myles Garrett, Cleveland: 4 (four games played)

• Jonathan Greenard, Minnesota: 4 (four games played)

• Keion White, New England: 4 (four games played)