After an injury-riddled 2022 campaign, Pittsburgh Steelers’ defensive end T.J. Watt returned to his old ways of being a menace to opposing quarterbacks in 2023. After sacking San Francisco 49ers’ Brock Purdy three times in Week 1, Watt also got a sack on Deshaun Watson during a 26-22 win against the Cleveland Browns on Monday Night.
With four sacks in 2023, Watt got to 81.5 career sacks and is now the Steelers’ all-time leader in sacks. He passed retired outside linebacker James Harrison, who totaled 80.5 sacks with the franchise. Harrison needed 14 years and two stints to set the franchise’s sack record, while Watt did it early in his seventh season with the organization.
Harrison was actually in attendance for the Browns game and watched Watt break his record.
“It’s great,” said Harrison after the game. “That is the whole reason I came, so I could be here in person to see it. Records are meant to be broken, and that was one I was happy to see go down, especially watching it here.”
Browns’ game turned out to be even more special for T.J. Watt. After getting the record-breaking sack in the second quarter, the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year also scored a career-first defensive touchdown in the final period.
