The 50 defensive linemen with the most sacks, 1999–2026

Every defensive linemen on this list is ranked on one number: sacks in the regular season between 1999 and 2026. Nothing else is weighed, and the figures each ranking rests on are in the table.

Sacks — the leading 15. Every one of the 50 is in the table below.

#	Player	Pos	Seasons	Sacks	QB hits	TFL	FF
1	Julius Peppers	DL	2002–2018	159	187	65	51
2	Dwight Freeney	DL	2002–2017	125	153	40	46
3	Calais Campbell	DL	2008–2026	116.5	285	152	18
3	Danielle Hunter	DL	2015–2026	116.5	184	133	16
5	J.J. Watt	DL	2011–2022	114.5	317	172	27
6	Chandler Jones	DL	2012–2022	112	210	117	34
7	Aaron Donald	DL	2014–2026	111	261	164	24
8	Elvis Dumervil	DL	2006–2017	103.5	182	46	23
9	Mario Williams	DL	2006–2016	97.5	155	50	16
10	Ryan Kerrigan	DL	2011–2021	95.5	145	104	26
11	Simeon Rice	DE	1999–2007	94.5	43	47	33
11	Jason Pierre-Paul	DL	2010–2025	94.5	167	91	21
13	Michael Strahan	DE	1999–2007	94	70	55	14
14	Cameron Heyward	DL	2011–2026	92	208	123	10
15	Chris Jones	DL	2016–2026	87.5	222	97	13
16	Justin Smith	DE	2001–2014	86	152	41	16
17	Leonard Little	DE	1999–2009	85.5	82	28	31
17	Everson Griffen	DL	2010–2021	85.5	201	89	11
19	Osi Umenyiora	DE	2003–2014	85	102	15	35
20	Patrick Kerney	DE	1999–2009	82	73	29	19
21	Andre Carter	DE	2001–2013	80	131	26	18
22	Greg Ellis	DE	1999–2009	79.5	62	29	22
22	Brandon Graham	DL	2010–2025	79.5	155	119	23
24	Trevor Pryce	DE	1999–2010	79	88	45	13
24	Aaron Schobel	DE	2001–2009	79	74	15	21
26	Joey Bosa	DL	2016–2025	77	173	92	22
27	Geno Atkins	DL	2010–2020	75.5	172	86	8
28	DeForest Buckner	DL	2016–2026	74.5	195	94	9
29	Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila	DE	2000–2008	74	54	23	17
30	Cliff Avril	DL	2008–2017	73	140	39	29
31	Jevon Kearse	DE	1999–2009	72	46	30	26
32	Ndamukong Suh	DL	2010–2022	71.5	215	100	5
32	Maxx Crosby	DL	2019–2026	71.5	175	127	12
34	Preston Smith	DL	2015–2025	71	163	72	10
35	Yannick Ngakoue	DL	2016–2024	70.5	148	68	21
36	Chris Long	DL	2008–2018	70	150	45	15
36	Jerry Hughes	DL	2010–2024	70	142	84	19
36	Fletcher Cox	DL	2012–2023	70	173	81	16
36	Leonard Floyd	DL	2016–2025	70	149	74	5
40	Shaun Ellis	DE	2000–2011	69.5	60	20	13
40	Michael Bennett	DL	2009–2019	69.5	194	111	10
42	Kevin Carter	DE	1999–2008	68.5	66	43	8
42	Chris Clemons	DE	2004–2015	68.5	116	23	18
44	Darren Howard	DE	2000–2009	68	58	26	17
44	Justin Tuck	DE	2005–2015	68	134	32	20
44	Mario Addison	DL	2011–2022	68	114	61	14
44	Jadeveon Clowney	DL	2014–2026	68	153	111	16
48	Charles Johnson	DL	2007–2017	67.5	115	32	19
49	Adewale Ogunleye	DE	2001–2010	67	65	9	14
49	Will Smith	DE	2004–2012	67	108	8	20

How this list is made

Ranked on sacks in the regular season, 1999–2026, for players listed at DE, DL, DT, NT. Players are ranked on that number alone and on nothing else: there is no judgement here about who was better. Where two players are level they share a rank, and the list runs past fifty when fiftieth place is shared, because splitting a tie would mean choosing between them on no stated basis.

Why it does not say “of all time”. Every NFL statistic this site holds begins in 1999. A list claiming to cover all time would leave out Lawrence Taylor, who retired in 1993, along with everyone else who played before the figures start. That is why the years are in the title.

These figures are derived, and can differ from the NFL’s official records. They are computed from play-by-play data rather than copied from the league. Checked against published career sack totals, Cameron Jordan, Von Miller and J.J. Watt match exactly, while Julius Peppers came out 0.5 short and Terrell Suggs 1.0 — both careers that began before 2011. Expect small differences on long careers that start early in the window.

Regular-season games only; the play-offs are not counted. Source: nflverse-data, CC BY 4.0.

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