Jaguars' Josh Hines-Allen Says He's Targeting Strahan, Watt's NFL Sack Record

Jacksonville Jaguars pass rusher Josh Hines-Allen, who set a franchise record with 17.5 sacks in 2023, has his eye on breaking the NFL's single-season record in 2025.

"23 sacks, that's the NFL record," Hines-Allen said when asked at the 18:00 mark of Monday's press conference about his mentality heading into his seventh pro season. "I think all pass rushers should strive for that goal, like every team strives to win a Super Bowl.

"I think my goal is to break the record, and not really focus on it. Just know that if I handle what I need to handle, stay healthy, know what I'm doing, communicate, anticipate what's happening to me, anticipate pass, and kind of be quicker on that, then everything's just going to play off the way it's supposed to."

Michael Strahan set the official single-season record with 22.5 sacks in 2001 with the New York Giants, and T.J. Watt tied the mark with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2021.

Al Baker recorded 23.0 sacks with the Detroit Lions in 1978, before sacks were recorded as an official statistic, per Pro Football Reference.

After setting the Jaguars' single-season record in 2023, Hines-Allen saw his production drop to 8.0 sacks through 16 games last season.

That drop-off coincided with Hines-Allen putting on weight in order to slot in alongside Travon Walker as a defensive end in former DC Ryan Nielsen's 4-3 defense, per ESPN's Michael DiRocco.

The Jaguars ultimately finished the season ranked 32nd in the NFL in passing defense, and DiRocco reported in January that "players were upset with rotation system Nielsen installed" that sometimes left both Hines-Allen and Walker off the field at the same time.

Hines-Allen then told DiRocco in June that the extra weight didn't work for him, and that he had slimmed down ahead of the 2025 season.

The Jaguars are also bringing in defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile, who told reporters in February his scheme would involve more variation and could be described as "a 4-3 with some 3-4 spacing."

Hines-Allen will now hope weighing in at a lower number while slotting into Campanile's new system will help both him and the Jaguars put together a more effective passing defense in 2025.