Broncos' Zach Allen sets massive goal, expectation for Denver's defense

The Denver Broncos had one of the NFL's best defenses in 2025, and it nearly carried them to a Super Bowl. They also nearly set the NFL single-season record for most sacks, falling just four shy of the mark.

Defensive lineman Zach Allen expects them to get it this season.

Zach Allen sets massive goal for Broncos defense

Allen told the Denver Post this week that given the team's talent, as well as the schemes that defensive coordinator Vance Joseph can cook up, they fully expect to take down the 1984 Chicago Bears' long-standing record.

Here is Allen from the Denver Post:

“In this league you’ve kind of always got to keep on finding ways to get better and adjusting and all that,” Allen said, via the Denver Post. “It also helps when you’ve got ‘V.J.’ dialing stuff up that helps us get one-on-ones. We’ve got a lot of good guys and that’s going to create a lot of opportunities for people. We came close to the sack record last year and we fully expect to break it this year.”

The Broncos defense has turned into an absolute menace for opposing offenses over the past two years, and it is one of the biggest reasons they are 24-10 over that stretch and were in the AFC Championship Game a year ago. Had it not been for the injury to starting quarterback Bo Nix, there is a very real chance they would have been playing in the Super Bowl. 

Their 68 sacks were also nine more than any team in the league.

That relentless pass-rush, as well as a lockdown secondary led by superstar cornerback Pat Surtain II, also limited opposing quarterbacks to a 78.7 passer rating, the sixth-lowest mark in the league. 

The Broncos also led the league with 63 sacks in 2024, which was also nine more than the next-closest team.

It is a number they have been increasing every year. 

Having a 17-game season gives them a significant advantage over the 1984 Bears team (who only played a 16-game season), as well as the fact they play in a more pass-happy league, which presents more opportunities to get to the quarterback. But the record books don't care about any of that, and the Broncos feel they have a chance to put themselves at the top of it.