Alabama Roots: Top 10 in NFL sacks

Defensive end Mario Addison recorded five sacks for the Buffalo Bills during the 2020 season to move into the top 10 for that stat among NFL players from Alabama high schools and colleges.

Or did he?

Addison did have five sacks last season, and, officially, that did move his career total past the 57.5 sacks accumulated by Alabama alumnus Anthony Smith to take over 10th place on the state’s list.

But last week, profootballreference.com added new sack figures to its statistical story of the NFL. The sack didn’t become an official NFL stat until 1982. But based on the work of John Turney and Nick Webster of the Pro Football Researchers Association, “a very thorough accounting” of pass-rushing has emerged that pushes the sack, at least unofficially, back to the 1960 season.

Those new figures would add a player other than Addison to the 10 players with Alabama football roots with the most NFL sacks – former Parker High School star and Pro Football Hall of Fame member Buck Buchanan, who has been credited with 70.5 for his career with the Kansas City Chiefs from 1962 through 1975.

The player with the most NFL sacks from an Alabama high school or college is Kevin Greene with 160. Officially, that’s the third-most in NFL history and the most for a player whose primarily position was linebacker.

The unofficial totals move Greene back to fourth. In addition to trailing Bruce Smith and Reggie White, the new stats move him behind Deacon Jones, too. Smith, White and Jones played defensive end.

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The 10 players with Alabama football roots who have recorded the most official sacks in the NFL include:

1. Kevin Greene, Auburn: 160 sacks

Los Angeles Rams 1985-1992, Pittsburgh Steelers 1993-1995, San Francisco 49ers 1997, Carolina Panthers 1996, 1997-1998: The outside linebacker’s sack total is the third-highest in NFL history. He led the NFL in sacks in 1994 and 1996, was a two-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowler and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

2. DeMarcus Ware, Auburn High School, Troy: 138.5 sacks

Dallas Cowboys 2005-2013, Denver Broncos 2014-2016: The outside linebacker’s sack total is the ninth-highest in NFL history. He led the NFL in sacks in 2008 and 2010 and was a four-time All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowler.

3. Derrick Thomas, Alabama: 126.5 sacks

Kansas City Chiefs 1989-1999: The outside linebacker ranks 17th on the NFL’s all-time sack list. He led the NFL in sacks in 1990, holds the NFL record for most sacks in a game with seven, was a two-time All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowler and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

4. Robert Mathis, Alabama A&M: 123 sacks

Indianapolis Colts 2003-2016: The defensive end/outside linebacker led the NFL in sacks in 2013 and ranks 19th in league history. Mathis was an All-Pro once and a Pro Bowler five times.

5. Trace Armstrong, John Carroll Catholic in Birmingham, 106 sacks

Chicago Bears 1989-1994, Miami Dolphins 1995-2000, Oakland Raiders 2001-2003: A defensive end, Armstrong had the biggest season of his long career at age 35, when he turned in 16.5 sacks and earned his only Pro Bowl spot in 2000. His sack total ranks 25th in league history.

6. Osi Umenyiora, Auburn High School, Troy: 85 sacks

New York Giants 2003-2012, Atlanta Falcons 2013-2014: Umenyiora played defensive end for two Super Bowl winners with the Giants and was an All-Pro once and Pro Bowler twice.

7. Tim Harris, Woodlawn High School in Birmingham: 81 sacks

Green Bay Packers 1986-1990, San Francisco 49ers 1991-1992, 1994-1995, Philadelphia Eagles 1993: An All-Pro outside linebacker in 1989, Harris started his prep career at Woodlawn before finishing at Catholic High School in Memphis.

8. Cornelius Bennett, Ensley High School in Birmingham, Alabama: 71.5 sacks

Buffalo Bills 1987-1995, Atlanta Falcons 1996-1998, Indianapolis Colts 1999-2000: The outside linebacker went to five Super Bowls and was an All-Pro once and Pro Bowler five times.

9. Justin Tuck, Central High School in Rockford: 66.5 sacks

New York Giants 2005-2013, Oakland Raiders 2014-2015: The defensive end was an All-Pro once, a Pro Bowler twice and a teammate of Osi Umenyiora on two New York Giants teams that won Super Bowls. Tuck’s official sack total doesn’t include four sacks made in those two Super Bowl victories.

10. Mario Addison, Tarrant High School, Troy: 60 sacks

Chicago Bears 2011, Indianapolis Colts 2011-2012, Washington Redskins 2012, Carolina Panthers 2012-2019, Buffalo Bills 2020: The defensive end reached a career high with 11 sacks in 2017, and from 2016 through 2019, he had at least nine sacks in each season.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.