New York Giants DE Michael Strahan’s Sack Record: Brett Favre isn’t the Reason it’s Fraudulent

One of the crowning individual achievements of New York Giants legendary defensive end Michael Strahan’s career is his single-season sack record.

Strahan amassed a total of 22.5 sacks in 2001, but the record was steeped in controversy. Now, even more controversy surrounding the record has been unearthed.

Brett Favre was responsible for the original controversy surrounding New York Giants DE Michael Strahan’s sack record

The original reason for the controversy surrounding the sack record achieved by Michael Strahan was because Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre seemingly gave up and allowed himself to be sacked by Strahan for the record.

Many claimed that the record didn’t count because Strahan didn’t have to work for the record-breaking sack that he recorded on Favre.

Michael Strahan breaking the sack record in 2002.

“No one is happier for Michael than Brett Favre” pic.twitter.com/Ipvp1wJK34

— Pardon My Take (@PardonMyTake) January 10, 2022

Favre reportedly called a run play in the huddle and ran over to Strahan’s side of the defense to allow himself to be sacked. Favre then gave Strahan the game ball.

This controversy arose again when Pittsburgh Steelers pass rusher T.J. Watt tied Strahan’s sack record in 2021. While it was a 17-game season, Watt tied the record in just 15 games. Many fans were claiming Watt is the true record holder as he got the record-tying sack against a bitter divisional rival and it wasn’t gifted to him in the same way that Strahan’s was.

Strahan said in an article from NFL.com that the way it played out still bothers him.

“I just hate that it got caught up in the wash of the record-breaking sack,” the former New York Giants defensive end said.

“The sack record’s great — absolutely phenomenal, but I almost feel like in a sense it was diminished, because everyone goes, ‘Oh, Brett Favre gave you a sack.’ I caught so much flak over it. It’s not worth it, because everyone looks as if one sack that they question is the defining moment of my career.

“I didn’t have a sack in the first three weeks of the season. So from four weeks on — 13 games, 22-and-a-half sacks. That’s hard to match, and I’ve never spoken like this about it, because I’ve always kind of taken it, but I always have to say, if you don’t like it, then break it.”

New controversy surrounding Michael Strahan’s sack record has arisen

X/Twitter user “JaguarGator9NFL” has unearthed a new controversy surrounding Michael Strahan’s sack record.

The user claims that one of the plays that counted as a sack for Strahan was in fact not a sack. Strahan tackled Dallas Cowboys quarterback Clint Soerner at the 43.5-yard line after he snapped it at the 44-yard line.

This play from week 8 against the Cowboys counted as a sack for Strahan

Clint Stoerner snaps the ball at the 44-yard line. He makes it to the 43 1/2 yard line. He gains half a yard. You even see the official on the near side ahead of where the original LOS was pic.twitter.com/79bCwdMwlZ

— JaguarGator9 (@JaguarGator9NFL) May 8, 2024

The user confirms that this play was one of the plays that was counted as a sack for Strahan in the immediate aftermath and that it isn’t an error from modern statkeeping sites misappropriating stats to the wrong plays.

Am I going crazy here? Stoerner gains half a yard. You can’t get a sack on a play where the quarterback runs and gains yardage

Strahan should get credit for a tackle, obviously, but not a sack, thereby only giving him 21.5 for the season

— JaguarGator9 (@JaguarGator9NFL) May 8, 2024

This is the exact moment where Stoerner’s knee hits the ground. The ball is at the 43 (at worst, it’s a quarter yard shy of the 43). The original LOS was the 44

That’s a gain of a yard pic.twitter.com/4MM79ipU8f

— JaguarGator9 (@JaguarGator9NFL) May 8, 2024

And just to confirm that Pro Football Reference wasn’t doing anything screwy here and this wasn’t one of his 22.5 sacks… no, this was counted as a sack in the stat book and the immediate aftermath

This from the Hartford Courant on 11/5/01, the day after the game pic.twitter.com/XIHchlsImc

— JaguarGator9 (@JaguarGator9NFL) May 8, 2024

Does this potential “statistical error” regarding Michael Strahan’s sack record matter?

While user “JaguarGator9NFL” may be correct in pointing out a statistical error, does it really matter at the end of the day. Strahan is no longer vying for contracts in which he could use this record as a negotiating point, but T.J. Watt may have to do so in the future.

Strahan is already in the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the sack record will not take that away from him. The sack record will also not take away the fact that Strahan won the Super Bowl twice against one of the greatest dynasties in the history of the game.

This also doesn’t account for the fact that sacks weren’t officially counted by the NFL until 1982. Pro Football Reference claims it has 99% of the sacks from the 1970 AFL-NFL merger until sacks began being counted by the NFL.

By their count, Detroit Lions rookie Al “Bubba”  Baker is the real single-season sack record holder as he recorded 23 sacks in 1978. There is also an argument to be made that Watt should be considered the real record holder considering he had the same amount of sacks as Strahan in fewer games.

As mentioned previously, Strahan said, “If you don’t like it [the sack record], break it.” With the NFL already at 17 games and pushing for 18 games in a season, Strahan may get his wish sooner rather than later.

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