Who had the most sacks during the pre-modern era of the NFL?

[ROD-BOT]

Who had the most sacks during the pre-modern era of the NFL?

Pro-football-reference.com's sack-compiling efforts for some past eras shed some light on previous generations' pass rushers who have, for the most part, not getting their due. Here are the players from that era who retired with the most sacks.

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Who had the most sacks during the pre-modern era of the NFL?​

#28 Merlin Olsen

Olsen helped enable Deacon Jones' havoc sprees, with the Hall of Fame defensive tackle never missing a game. In those 208 regular-season contests, Olsen finished his career with 91 sacks. The enduring Los Angeles inside presence anchored the Rams' "Fearsome Foursome" defensive line and began his career with 14 consecutive Pro Bowls, often taking on double-teams that freed up teammates. Overall, Olsen went 14-for-15 in Pro Bowls. Playing at around 280 pounds, Olsen provided the Rams with incredible consistency and peaked during a late-1960s run in which L.A. went 32-7-1 from 1967-69.

#15 Fred Dryer

Prior to his acting career, Dryer teamed with Jack Youngblood to form a high-end edge-rushing tandem with the Rams. The 13-year veteran checks in with 103 career sacks, doing the bulk of the damage for some talented Rams teams in the 1970s. The Rams won seven straight NFC West titles from 1973-79; Dryer started for each team. Dryer registered two safeties in 1973 and led the NFL with 15 sacks a year later. Both the Giants and Patriots traded Dryer in 1972; he never played in New England. But he broke out with the Giants, recording 12.5 sacks in 1970 -- his second season.

#2 Jack Youngblood

The Rams executed an elite baton pass, with Youngblood taking over after Deacon Jones' departure. Both are in the top 10 all-time in sacks; Youngblood's 151.5 are unofficially sixth. Los Angeles' relentless left defensive end is partially known for playing on a broken leg in the 1979 playoffs, but he made seven straight Pro Bowls and landed on the All-Decade team. Youngblood remained productive until his retirement after the 1984 season, recording at least 9.5 sacks in his four non-strike-shortened seasons past age 30. He remained a starter through 1984, helping two new-look Rams squads to the playoffs.

#1 Deacon Jones

This retroactive sack-statting operation benefits the Rams, who now have three players in the all-time top six. The godfather of the sack has bumped Kevin Greene down a slot. Jones' unofficial total (173.5) drops in at No. 3 all-time -- behind only Bruce Smith and Reggie White. While D-linemen had more tools at their disposal when Jones played -- including Jones' since-outlawed head slap -- and O-linemen had less, his 1960s rampage left no doubt about his abilities. The former 14th-round pick led the NFL in sacks five times in six seasons in a torrid stretch to close out the '60s. Unofficially, Jones' three 20-sack seasons top J.J. Watt's two for most ever.

 

[den-the-coach]

I never truly got to see Deacon Jones play the Rams besides highlights as he left the Rams on January 30th 1972 being traded to the San Diego Chargers for LB Jeff Staggs, DT Greg Wojic, RB Lee White, a second round pick (1972) and a second and third round pick (1973).

With those picks the Rams drafted RB Jim Bertelsen (1972) RB Cullen Bryant (2nd round 1973) & OT Tim Stokes (3rd Round).

Again Deacon was amazing in his time with the Rams and simply one of the very best. I was fortunate having an Uncle (more like a brother that was four years older then me and he provided me a ton of sports information plus some older books that I read at that time. Deacon was a bad man, that's for sure and will always be one of my favorites even though I did not see him play that much.

 

[Tano]

I never truly got to see Deacon Jones play the Rams besides highlights as he left the Rams on January 30th 1972 being traded to the San Diego Chargers for LB Jeff Staggs, DT Greg Wojic, RB Lee White, a second round pick (1972) and a second and third round pick (1973).

With those picks the Rams drafted RB Jim Bertelsen (1972) RB Cullen Bryant (2nd round 1973) & OT Tim Stokes (3rd Round).

Again Deacon was amazing in his time with the Rams and simply one of the very best. I was fortunate having an Uncle (more like a brother that was four years older then me and he provided me a ton of sports information plus some older books that I read at that time. Deacon was a bad man, that's for sure and will always be one of my favorites even though I did not see him play that much.

View attachment 54567

I never heard of Jeff Staggs Greg Wojic or Lee White

Jim Bertelsen was a very good running back for the Rams for a few years.

One of the rare times that a Running Back duo (McCutcheon) both gained 1000 yards in a year and this was in a 14 game season


Cullen Bryant was a hard running back to bring down once he got rolling but my dad always disliked him because he would go down right away if hit after a yard or two.

Don't remember much about Tim Stokes.

 

[ArkyRamsFan]

den,
I saw Deacon play on an old 20" black and white TV back in the day. He is everything you've heard about him and more.
I recall seeing the epic battles he had with Sam Ball the OLT of the Baltimore Colts. Believe it or not the Rams and the Colts were in the same division and Johnny U was in his prime and was our hated rival ( almost as much as the despicable Whiners.)
Good times....

~ArkyRamsFan~

 

[Allen2McVay]

Jim Bertelsen was a very good running back for the Rams for a few years.

One of the rare times that a Running Back duo (McCutcheon) both gained 1000 yards in a year and this was in a 14 game season

Bertelsen had a big season in 1973 but did not quite reach 1,000 yards.

That was such a dominant rushing team and it really was a different game back then.

I checked the Team Stats. Counting QBs, the '73 Rams had 659 rush attempts for 2,925 yards. That's amazing!

That averages more than 47 rushes-per-game; and just short of 210 rushing yards-per-game!!!

 

[den-the-coach]

I never heard of Jeff Staggs Greg Wojic or Lee White

Jim Bertelsen was a very good running back for the Rams for a few years.

One of the rare times that a Running Back duo (McCutcheon) both gained 1000 yards in a year and this was in a 14 game season


Cullen Bryant was a hard running back to bring down once he got rolling but my dad always disliked him because he would go down right away if hit after a yard or two.

Don't remember much about Tim Stokes.

I liked Cullen Bryant and thought he was underrated. He was a CB in college and actually played that position his first year with the Rams.

Tim Stokes only played 6 games for the Rams in 1974 and was traded to Washington, then went on to play for the Green Bay Packers & New York Giants.

 

[Loyal]

Merlin was my favorite, but I had no idea that Fred Dryer had that many sacks. I knew Jack Youngblood was a monster during the 70's. AD will never reach sack totals like these guys amassed, but then who knows how many sacks he'd get if he had played in the 60's and 7-'s? Johnny U. might have gotten killed....

 

[Loyal]

I liked Cullen Bryant and thought he was underrated. He was a CB in college and actually played that position his first year with the Rams.

Tim Stokes only played 6 games for the Rams in 1974 and was traded to Washington, then went on to play for the Green Bay Packers & New York Giants.

I loved Cullen Bryant. I also liked John Cappelletti because I thought his name was cool, although his career with the Rams was never that spectacular.

 

[PhillyRam]

Bertelsen had a big season in 1973 but did not quite reach 1,000 yards.

That was such a dominant rushing team and it really was a different game back then.

I checked the Team Stats. Counting QBs, the '73 Rams had 659 rush attempts for 2,925 yards. That's amazing!

That averages more than 47 rushes-per-game; and just short of 210 rushing yards-per-game!!!

Ground Chuck... back then a typical Rams win was like 17-6. Not the most exciting team.

 

[den-the-coach]

I also liked John Cappelletti because I thought his name was cool, although his career with the Rams was never that spectacular.

I've always known you favored Italians.

 

[Allen2McVay]

I've always known you favored Italians.

Shout-Outs to the late Joe Scibelli, Vince Ferrgamo and Roman Phifer (honorary)!

 

[den-the-coach]

den,
I saw Deacon play on an old 20" black and white TV back in the day. He is everything you've heard about him and more.
I recall seeing the epic battles he had with Sam Ball the OLT of the Baltimore Colts. Believe it or not the Rams and the Colts were in the same division and Johnny U was in his prime and was our hated rival ( almost as much as the despicable Whiners.)
Good times....

~ArkyRamsFan~

Thanks Bro, great stuff and he just looked so damn intimidating. I remember seeing a sign at the coliseum "Deacon for Secretary of Defense." Epic!

 

[David Ray]

Bertelsen had a big season in 1973 but did not quite reach 1,000 yards.

That was such a dominant rushing team and it really was a different game back then.

I checked the Team Stats. Counting QBs, the '73 Rams had 659 rush attempts for 2,925 yards. That's amazing!

That averages more than 47 rushes-per-game; and just short of 210 rushing yards-per-game!!!

McCutcheon and Bertelsen both made the Pro Bowl following the 1973 season.