Cowboys’ New All-Time Sack Champions

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Recently, Statistic-accumulating website ProFootball-Reference went on the arduous journey of combing through old film and play-by-play scorecards to count all sacks made by defensive players all the way back to 1960.

The reason is because today, only sacks made after the 1982 season are officially acknowledged by the NFL. They haven’t even bothered to research what happened prior to that season. However, since some of the greatest pass rushers who ever lived were at the ends of their careers or outright retired at that point, PFR wanted to rectify the disservice to the older players. For instance:

The greatest season in NFL history, unofficially, was by Arizona Cardinals rookie Al Baker, who amassed 23 sacks in 1978. Strahan’s faux sack of Favre in 2001 never mattered, because it still wasn’t enough. Al Baker started crying when he heard the news.

What won’t come as a surprise to many, Deacon Jones now has monster year after monster year in sack totals on his career stat sheet. He’s third all-time only behind Bruce Smith and the Minister of Defense (unofficially).

But! The meatiest part for you guys: Randy White, Too Tall Jones, Bob Lilly.

Dallas Cowboys all-time Sack Leaders
(career totals may include stats from additional teams)

Name - Sack Total - NFL Rank

Demarcus Ware - 138.5 - 13th
Harvey Martin - 114 - 32nd
Randy White - 111 - 35th
Ed Jones - 106 - 39th
Jim Jeffcoat - 102.5 - 49th
Charles Haley - 100.5 - 52nd
George Andrie - 98.5 - 57th
Jethro Pugh - 96.5 - 63rd
Bob Lilly - 95.5 - 68th


For me, this is incredibly interesting. Hopefully some of you feel as rewarded as I do by their hard work.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Recently, Statistic-accumulating website ProFootball-Reference went on the arduous journey of combing through old film and play-by-play scorecards to count all sacks made by defensive players all the way back to 1960.

The reason is because today, only sacks made after the 1982 season are officially acknowledged by the NFL. They haven’t even bothered to research what happened prior to that season. However, since some of the greatest pass rushers who ever lived were at the ends of their careers or outright retired at that point, PFR wanted to rectify the disservice to the older players. For instance:

The greatest season in NFL history, unofficially, was by Arizona Cardinals rookie Al Baker, who amassed 23 sacks in 1978. Strahan’s faux sack of Favre in 2001 never mattered, because it still wasn’t enough. Al Baker started crying when he heard the news.

What won’t come as a surprise to many, Deacon Jones now has monster year after monster year in sack totals on his career stat sheet. He’s third all-time only behind Bruce Smith and the Minister of Defense (unofficially).

But! The meatiest part for you guys: Randy White, Too Tall Jones, Bob Lilly.

Dallas Cowboys all-time Sack Leaders
(career totals may include stats from additional teams)

Name - Sack Total - NFL Rank

Demarcus Ware - 138.5 - 13th
Harvey Martin - 114 - 32nd
Randy White - 111 - 35th
Ed Jones - 106 - 39th
Jim Jeffcoat - 102.5 - 49th
Charles Haley - 100.5 - 52nd
George Andrie - 98.5 - 57th
Jethro Pugh - 96.5 - 63rd
Bob Lilly - 95.5 - 68th


For me, this is incredibly interesting. Hopefully some of you feel as rewarded as I do by their hard work.

Interestingly i recall only ONE big sack that Ware made when it mattered. That sack fumble in the New Orleans game when Romo was playing. Might have been in overtime or at the end of the game to seal the victory. As many sacks as he had, he wasnt a guy that typically turned it on when it mattered most.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Interestingly i recall only ONE big sack that Ware made when it mattered. That sack fumble in the New Orleans game when Romo was playing. Might have been in overtime or at the end of the game to seal the victory. As many sacks as he had, he wasnt a guy that typically turned it on when it mattered most.

Well, he did have a MONSTER one in the SB… as a Bronco

 

[lkelly]

Didn't Harvey Martin have a big sack year? I wonder what that total was (if I'm thinking of the right Cowboy). Thought I had read it was 20+.

(Edit: clicked on his name via that link and saw that it was 20 in 1977.)

 

[CowboyRoy]

Well, he did have a MONSTER one in the SB… as a Bronco

Nice to see him win one. I was hoping Romo was going to go somewhere else and win one as well. It seems the only way some of these Cowboys greats ever win anything is to get out from under Jerry Jones.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Didn't Harvey Martin have a big sack year? I wonder what that total was (if I'm thinking of the right Cowboy). Thought I had read it was 20+.

1977 he had 20

 

[MarcusRock]

It's funny, I was just thinking about someone watching videos for sacks last week when someone here posted a thread about 1970s games being available. This is cool. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Cowpolk]

Interestingly i recall only ONE big sack that Ware made when it mattered. That sack fumble in the New Orleans game when Romo was playing. Might have been in overtime or at the end of the game to seal the victory. As many sacks as he had, he wasnt a guy that typically turned it on when it mattered most.

Wear rates right up there with Lilly and White

 

[Hagman]

Recently, Statistic-accumulating website ProFootball-Reference went on the arduous journey of combing through old film and play-by-play scorecards to count all sacks made by defensive players all the way back to 1960.

The reason is because today, only sacks made after the 1982 season are officially acknowledged by the NFL. They haven’t even bothered to research what happened prior to that season. However, since some of the greatest pass rushers who ever lived were at the ends of their careers or outright retired at that point, PFR wanted to rectify the disservice to the older players. For instance:

The greatest season in NFL history, unofficially, was by Arizona Cardinals rookie Al Baker, who amassed 23 sacks in 1978. Strahan’s faux sack of Favre in 2001 never mattered, because it still wasn’t enough. Al Baker started crying when he heard the news.

What won’t come as a surprise to many, Deacon Jones now has monster year after monster year in sack totals on his career stat sheet. He’s third all-time only behind Bruce Smith and the Minister of Defense (unofficially).

But! The meatiest part for you guys: Randy White, Too Tall Jones, Bob Lilly.

Dallas Cowboys all-time Sack Leaders
(career totals may include stats from additional teams)

Name - Sack Total - NFL Rank

Demarcus Ware - 138.5 - 13th
Harvey Martin - 114 - 32nd
Randy White - 111 - 35th
Ed Jones - 106 - 39th
Jim Jeffcoat - 102.5 - 49th
Charles Haley - 100.5 - 52nd
George Andrie - 98.5 - 57th
Jethro Pugh - 96.5 - 63rd
Bob Lilly - 95.5 - 68th


For me, this is incredibly interesting. Hopefully some of you feel as rewarded as I do by their hard work.

Lilly, Pugh, Andrie. Then Jones, Martin, White all playing together on the same defensive lines. That is a monster lineup right there that takes you to championship games. I’m sure that each player benefited by the fact that the others were there. Probably Pugh and Andrei more so because they had Bob Lilly getting double teamed every single play. And they still got all of those sacks during the time when offenses were more run oriented and playing in a flex defense designed to stop the run. Those Dallas Cowboys Doomsday Defenses were good.

 

[Risen Star]

To have 9 guys with over 90 sacks is downright filthy.

 

[Risen Star]

On a side note, what a pathetic baby Al Baker is.

Embarrassing.

 

[CowboyRoy]

Wear rates right up there with Lilly and White

Ill take Haley over Ware all day and every day. Haley, although he had less sacks overall would get that big sack when we needed at key points in big games. He was an emotional leader on the defense. Had that edge and put people in place in the locker room when needed.

 

[Cowpolk]

Ill take Haley over Ware all day and every day. Haley, although he had less sacks overall would get that big sack when we needed at key points in big games. He was an emotional leader on the defense. Had that edge and put people in place in the locker room when needed.

I liked Haley But Ware was better

 

[Risen Star]

I hate to break it to Al crybaby Baker but he still isn't the real sack leader. Had Strahan known his record he would have just orchestrated another sack with Favre.

So he still wins.

 

[Risen Star]

I liked Haley But Ware was better

I'll take Haley. He was nasty and he played best when the games meant the most.

Ware was more talented though.

 

[big dog cowboy]

While I find this interesting and appreciate the work...........it's about dang time!

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Lilly, Pugh, Andrie. Then Jones, Martin, White all playing together on the same defensive lines. That is a monster lineup right there that takes you to championship games. I’m sure that each player benefited by the fact that the others were there. Probably Pugh and Andrei more so because they had Bob Lilly getting double teamed every single play. And they still got all of those sacks during the time when offenses were more run oriented and playing in a flex defense designed to stop the run. Those Dallas Cowboys Doomsday Defenses were good.

You wouldn’t believe the biggest nugget they uncovered. Check out this Bombshell:

Purple People Eaters

8th / Alan Page / 1967-1981 / 148.5
18th / Carl Eller / 1964–1979 / 133.5
22nd / Jim Marshall / 1960-1979 / 130.5


Ladies and Gentleman, the greatest D-line of all time.

 

[Hagman]

You wouldn’t believe the biggest nugget they uncovered. Check out this Bombshell:

Purple People Eaters

8th / Alan Page / 1967-1981 / 148.5
18th / Carl Eller / 1964–1979 / 133.5
22nd / Jim Marshall / 1960-1979 / 130.5


Ladies and Gentleman, the greatest D-line of all time.

Don’t waste a lot of time looking this up but I wonder how the fearsome foursome stacked up.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Don’t waste a lot of time looking this up but I wonder how the fearsome foursome stacked up.

who’s that? The Rams? Saw them on there too, they may have had a better 4 overall, but not a top 3 like this. PPE’s other DT’s were run stuffing specialists.

 

[Hagman]

who’s that? The Rams? Saw them on there too, they may have had a better 4 overall, but not a top 3 like this. PPE’s other DT’s were run stuffing specialists.

Yea, the name for the old Rams front line.