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Move over, Michael Strahan, you've got some company as the NFL's single-season sack record holder.
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt tied New York Giants legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer's record 22.5 sacks during his team's Week 18 game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday (January 9)
Watt trailed Strahan by one sack entering Sunday's game and tied the record after tracking down Ravens quarterback Tyler Huntley late in the second quarter.
Watt was recently selected by his Steelers teammates as the team's Most Valuable Player earlier this week, becoming the first player in franchise history to win the award three years in a row and the fifth to do so at least three times.
"It's all about tradition here and to be able to put your footprint in as part of the tradition here is special," Watt said via Steelers.com. "I know it's an individual goal. I'm not big on individual achievements. But doing this with such a wonderful group of guys is what it's all about. To be able to be a part of this franchise hopefully for a long time, this is very special. But I really do have more work to do."
Watt was been named as the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for the third time during the 2021 NFL season this week after a four-sack performance in the Steelers' 26-14 win against the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night Football in Week 17.
Watt's four sacks tied Joey Porter's single-game franchise record set against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2001 and puts him one sack behind Michael Strahan's NFL single-season sack record of 22.5, joining Strahan and 11 others, including his brother, J.J. Watt, in the NFL's 20-sack season club.
Watt has now been named AFC Defensive Player of the Week six times during his five-year NFL career.
Last month, the 27-year-old joined recent Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Troy Polamalu as the only Steelers players to receive the honor five times.
At the time, Watt had surpassed James Harrison's franchise single-season sack record of 16 after recording 3.5 sacks, six tackles and one tackle for loss during Pittsburgh's December 5 victory against the Baltimore Ravens.
Watt has since added 1.5 sacks during the Steelers' December 19 win against the Tennessee Titans and the four additional sacks on Monday night.