The Moment
Shaquil Barrett, the pass-rushing star who racked up a massive 19.5 sacks back in 2019, is planting his flag: if Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett breaks the single-season sack record this weekend against the Bengals, it should count clean. No asterisk, no side-eye, no “yeah, but…”
In a new video chat, Barrett is asked about Garrett chasing the all-time mark of 22.5 sacks, the number currently shared by Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and Steelers standout T.J. Watt. The twist? Strahan did it in 16 games, Watt in just 15. Garrett, thanks to the NFL’s newer 17-game schedule, would be using one more opportunity.
Barrett’s answer is basically, that’s not Garrett’s problem. The schedule changed, the game evolved, and defenders aren’t exactly having an easier time getting to quarterbacks in 2026. If Garrett finishes the season on top of the leaderboard, Barrett says, he’s the new sack king. Period.
On top of that, Barrett also weighs in on the state of one of his old teams, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, including the heat around head coach Todd Bowles, and gives props to Sean Payton for turning things around with his other former squad, the Denver Broncos. But the quote that’s going to live on is the one about the record and that dreaded asterisk.
The Take
I have to admit, I love that a current player finally said the quiet part out loud: the asterisk obsession is getting a little tired.
We’ve seen this movie before. Older fans remember when the NFL went from 14 games to 16 and every new record came with a history lecture. Baseball did the same thing with Roger Maris and the whole “61*” drama. Now we’re replaying the same debate with 17-game seasons, as if athletes today are out there playing on rookie mode.
Barrett’s stance is simple and honestly pretty refreshing: you play the schedule you’re given. Garrett didn’t sneak into the league office and lobby for an extra game; he’s just trying to hunt quarterbacks every week in a league that throws more, protects passers more, and game-plans more than ever.
Think of it this way: complaining about Garrett’s potential record because of one extra game is like saying a singer’s sold-out stadium tour “doesn’t count” because she added another show. The work still has to get done. You still have to show up, perform, and deliver under pressure.
Does context matter? Of course. Serious fans will always compare eras: 14-game seasons, 16-game seasons, 17-game seasons, rule changes, offensive trends. That nuance belongs in conversation and in the record books’ fine print, not as a giant imaginary asterisk slapped on the man’s legacy.
Barrett, who knows exactly how hard it is to get within sniffing distance of 20 sacks, saying “no asterisk” carries more weight than a thousand online hot takes. When someone who’s actually been in the trenches says, “give the guy his crown,” I’m inclined to listen.
Receipts
Confirmed
- Shaquil Barrett recorded 19.5 sacks in the 2019 season, one of the highest single-season totals in recent years, according to official NFL statistics.
- The single-season NFL sack record is 22.5 sacks, set by Michael Strahan in 2001 and later tied by T.J. Watt in 2021, per league record books.
- The NFL expanded the regular season to 17 games starting in 2021, giving modern players an extra opportunity to rack up stats.
- In a recent video interview, Barrett said he believes Myles Garrett will become the new sack leader after the Browns’ upcoming game against the Bengals and insisted there should be no asterisk attached if Garrett does it.
Unverified / Opinion
- Whether Garrett will actually break the record this weekend is unknown until the game is played.
- Barrett’s belief that the record should stand “clean” is his opinion, echoed by many modern fans but hardly unanimous among old-school purists.
- Any long-term impact on how the NFL or historians treat 17-game records is purely speculative for now.
Backstory (For Casual Readers)
If you only tune in once the playoffs start, here’s the quick primer. Myles Garrett is the Cleveland Browns’ superstar defensive end, a former No. 1 overall draft pick who has become one of the most feared pass rushers in football. Think of him as the guy quarterbacks actually dream about in their nightmares.
The “sack record” he’s chasing tracks how many times a defender tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage in a season. It’s one of the glamor stats for defensive players, the equivalent of a home run crown or a scoring title. Michael Strahan set the high-water mark in 2001 with 22.5 sacks. Two decades later, T.J. Watt matched it in 15 games.
Since the league added a 17th game, every big stat has come with a side of debate: are these new numbers “inflated,” or are defenders and offensive stars just evolving with the game? Garrett is the latest lightning rod in that argument, and Barrett is publicly taking his side.
What’s Next
All eyes now go to the Browns’ season finale against the Cincinnati Bengals. Garrett is reportedly sitting just shy of the all-time mark, needing at least one more big play to pass Strahan and Watt outright. Every snap he takes in that game will come with a graphic, a count, and a lot of screaming from both fanbases.
If he gets there, expect a full week of talk shows and barstool debates about what records mean in the 17-game era. Some fans will call for “per game” stats to matter more; others will say a sack is a sack, and the record is the record.
Shaquil Barrett, for his part, has already planted his flag. He’s rooting for Garrett to finish the job and is making it clear that, from a player’s perspective, the achievement is every bit as real as the old 16-game milestones. No asterisk, just respect.
And if Garrett falls just short? The conversation doesn’t end. Another elite pass rusher will come along, the league might eventually stretch to 18 games, and we’ll be right back here arguing about how to compare eras. This isn’t just about one player; it’s about where football history goes next.
Sources: Shaquil Barrett video interview published January 3, 2026; NFL official statistics and historical record summaries (accessed 2024).
Your turn: Do you think 17-game NFL records should stand on equal footing with the old 16-game marks, or should we be tracking them as separate eras?
Comments