Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt celebrates a day when he tied the NFL's single-season sack record and Pittsburgh clinched a playoff berth. Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers OLB T.J. Watt ties Michael Strahan's single-season sack record

One of the most controversial NFL records, if not the most controversial, of all time was tied when Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker T.J. Watt recorded a sack Sunday to finish the year with 22.5.

Michael Strahan has owned the record for two decades after finishing the 2001 season with 22.5 sacks. Many blasted the number as a sham, however, after Brett Favre seemingly handed over the record to Strahan by intentionally getting sacked as the Green Bay Packers were milking clock in the final moments of a Week 17 game.

Watt, 27, received no such gift sack from the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18. He appeared to tie the record early in the game when he forced quarterback Tyler Huntley to fumble, but no sack was awarded as it was determined that Huntley was a runner. It wasn't until the final seconds of the first half that Watt tied the record by bringing down Huntley.

Barring an official scoring change of Watt's forced fumble, he and Strahan now own equal shares of the record.

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