T.J. Watt, Steelers can set multiple NFL records in 2022 season

Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro edge-rusher T.J. Watt made history during the 2021 NFL season when he tied Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan for the most sacks recorded by an individual in a single campaign with 22.5. 

Watt, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year who was recently nominated to win the ESPY's NFL Player of the Year Award, may be considered an overwhelming favorite to reach at least 23 quarterback takedowns during the upcoming season. As NFL senior researcher Jack Andrade explained for a piece published on Thursday, Watt and the Steelers could both reach new milestones from September through early January. 

"Since individual sacks were first tracked in 1982, only three players have led the league in the stat in consecutive seasons: Mark Gastineau with the Jets in 1983 and '84, Hall of Famer Reggie White with the Eagles in 1986 and 1987, and T.J. Watt with the Steelers in each of the last two seasons," Andrade wrote. 

"Should Watt win the sack crown for an unprecedented third straight season, the Steelers will also likely extend their own streak of seasons with at least 50 sacks to six — each season since Watt was drafted in 2017. That would break a tie with three teams from the 1980s for the longest streak of seasons with at least 50 team sacks since they were first tracked in 1963."

Watt will face stiff competition as it pertains to leading the NFL in sacks again. Just last week, Dallas Cowboys star pass-rusher and reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Micah Parsons told CBS Sports' Cody Benjamin he's targeting the mark set by Strahan and Watt. 

"Yeah, 15's like the minimum," Parsons commented about his goal for sacks next season. "15's what I wanna hit. But definitely, 23 is that goal, to break the record."