What is a half sack in the NFL? How players can share a sack and why the statistic exists

Jake Mozarsky

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What is a half sack in the NFL? How players can share a sack and why the statistic exists image

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Myles Garrett is on the precipice of history, standing just one sack away from tying one of the NFL’s most revered records: the single-season sack mark of 22.5, currently held by Hall of Famer Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt.

While Garrett's pursuit is a testament to generational dominance, the existing record itself is famous for its ambiguous conclusion. Strahan set the mark in 2001 with a final, record-breaking takedown that was controversially aided by quarterback Brett Favre falling forward, securing a total that ended precisely on the half-sack threshold: 22.5.

That half-sack is the most critical and often confusing fraction in football's stat books, raising a crucial question for fans watching Garrett’s chase: what exactly is a half-sack, and how is it determined?

Here's what you need to know.

MORE: Tracking Myles Garrett's chase for the sack record

What is a half sack in the NFL?

A half-sack (0.5 sack) is a statistical credit given to a defensive player when they contribute to tackling the opposing quarterback for a loss of yardage, but an official statistician determines that another player was equally responsible for the takedown.

This situation usually happens when two players converge on the quarterback simultaneously, or when one player initially engages and slows the quarterback while a second player immediately completes the tackle. When this happens, each of the two players is awarded 0.5 sacks toward their individual season totals.

While two players receive the half-credit, the defense as a team is only credited with one total sack for the play. Though, a half-sack can be the difference between tying or breaking a major statistical benchmark like the single-season sack record.

MORE: Complete guide to all the sack records in the NFL

Why does the NFL use half sacks?

In the modern, complex NFL pass rush, it is extremely common for multiple defenders to converge on and bring down the quarterback simultaneously. If only one player were awarded the full sack, it would diminish the contribution of an equally responsible teammate. The half-sack rule ensures that the official statistic recognizes the contribution of every player who helped execute the tackle.

It also avoids from over-crediting a team's defense. If the NFL simply gave a full sack to every player involved in a takedown, the team's official sack total would become inflate. Since only one offensive play— the sack — occurred, the total credit awarded to the defense must only be 1.0. The half-sack is the mechanism that allows two individuals to be recognized while keeping the team's total accurate.

MORE: Biggest sack artists among active players in the NFL

How are sacks officially credited in the NFL?

For a sack, the quarterback (or another offensive player acting as the passer) must be tackled behind the line of scrimmage.

The passer must be in possession of the ball and clearly attempting to throw a forward pass. If the play is designed as a quarterback run or if the quarterback is tackled for loss while attempting to scramble, it is generally ruled a tackle for loss, not a sack.

The sack is complete even if the passer is forced out of bounds behind the line of scrimmage due to defensive pressure, or if they are sacked in their own end zone.

MORE: What to know about the NFL's unofficial sack record

When do players share a sack?

Players share a sack when they are equally responsible for bringing down the quarterback.

It usually happens when multiple players bring down the quarterback, whether that's taking down the signal-caller at the same time or one delivers a hit before the other.

Can more than two players share a sack?

The official NFL rulebook does not explicitly limit the shared credit to just two players, but it's extremely rare that a sack is credited to more.

In practice, official NFL statisticians will almost always limit the credit to a maximum of two players by identifying the two individuals who had the most significant, simultaneous impact on bringing the quarterback down.

BENDER: The best players on the worst teams in NFL history

Do half sacks count towards sack records?

Half sacks do count towards sack records, including the all-time single-season and career marks. The official NFL record books calculate a player's total sacks by summing up all 1.0 (solo) sacks and all 0.5 (shared) sacks.

This is famously evident with the official single-season sack record, which currently stands at 22.5 sacks. This record was originally set by Michael Strahan of the New York Giants in 2001 and was later tied by T.J.1 Watt in 2021. The 22.5 in the record is not a coincidence; it explicitly indicates that Strahan needed a final half-sack  to break the previous record of 22.0, a controversial takedown of Brett Favre in the final game of that season.

Any player aiming to tie or break this record, such as Garrett who is currently chasing the mark, must accumulate 22.5 total sacks, highlighting that the half-sack is just as critical.

MORE: Myles Garrett vs. Michael Strahan in NFL sack record chase

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