Joe Burrow was sacked 70 times in the season and postseason, third-most ever

Posted by Michael David Smith on February 14, 2022, 8:05 AM EST
Los Angeles Rams defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 23-20 to win the NFL Super Bowl LVI football game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.
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Few quarterbacks in NFL history have been taken down as many times as Joe Burrow this season.

Burrow was sacked seven times in Super Bowl LVI, tying a Super Bowl record. And that brought his total number of sacks for the 2021 regular season and postseason to 70, the third-most in NFL history.

Only David Carr, who was sacked 76 times in the first year of the Texans expansion franchise in 2002, and Randall Cunningham, who was sacked 72 times in 1986, have been sacked more than Burrow in this season and postseason.

Given that Burrow’s rookie season ended with a torn ACL, 70 sacks in his second season have to be a concern for the Bengals. They’re likely to use their ample salary cap space to try to improve their offensive line in free agency, but they also need Burrow himself to get better at recognizing the pass rush and getting rid of the ball before he gets hit. The Bengals can’t afford for Burrow to get sacked another 70 times next season.

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24 responses to “Joe Burrow was sacked 70 times in the season and postseason, third-most ever”

  1. Young man is an awesome QB with a lot of talent, but his career will not last long at that rate. Top thing for this team going forward should be Offense Line.

  2. Bengals you better get this kid protected, gonna take 5-7 years off his career if he keeps getting hit like that. I thought he blew his knee out when he was clutching it in agony

  3. That’s unsustainable. Hopefully they don’t get him broken prematurely. He’s fun to watch.

  4. The Bengals are a great young team representing a very nice city. The only glaring weakess is their O-line. I’m sure strengthening it will be their #1 priority before next season.

  7. Bengals win that game if Big Whit is on the other team. Not a doubt in my mind. Of course they might have won other games which would have prevented them from getting Burrow in the first place.

  9. Texans won 4 games that year with Carr. Eagles won 5 games that year with Cunningham (and actually Ron Jawarski was sacked 22 times that year as well…sheesh). The Bengals went to the SuperBowl behind that line. That’s amazing and gives hope that if Burrow can bring some free agents to the table they may sign.

  10. This is a product of two things. Less than stellar offensive line play and….holding the ball for too long. Burrow is a phenomenal talent on the field and he may well turn into a cultural icon. For now however, don’t buy into the sports media pablum relating to his style or how cool he is. FFS he’s just beginning to establish himself and I wish him all the best. Two years, even reaching the Superbowl, does not a legend make.

  11. It’s he holding onto the ball too long or is the line that bad? Brady was sacked 23 times, and the vast majority of those, he basically folded up before he took the hit. Love to fight another day

  13. Just FYI, Cunningham was thrown to the wolves as a 3rd and long QB for those 1986 Eagles for about the first 11 games before he started the last 5. After that insanity he had 39 attempts, 23 runs, and was sacked 27 times. Then he was sacked 45 times in 5 starts. His sack % was 25.6 that season.

  16. It’s definitely not all that line. He holds the ball too long looking downfield for big plays. However, they do need upgrades on that line.

  17. It was more than ironic that the last play of the SB was his OL failing him yet again. A team’s weakness is always magnified in the playoffs/SB.

  18. Hard to find a star LT like Sewell w the 31st pick. You can find star WRs almost anywhere in the draft.

  19. Once the Rams adjusted and got rid of the center double teaming with the guard on Donald, the game turned. Bengals need to invest in interior lineman in the FA and the draft.

  21. Burrow shouldn’t lose an ounce of sleep over this game. He was half a field away from winning it all behind one of the worst offensive lines in NFL history. Bengals know what they need to focus on this summer.

  22. Rams don’t go to the Super Bowl with Penei Sewell and without Ja’Marr Chase.
    Penei Sewell could turn out to be the better long term player but there is a special chemistry between Burrow and Chase.

  23. Sacks are correlated with QBs.
    Its not just the Oline.
    Either he holds onto the ball too long or they are calling plays hat take a long time to develop without the Oline to protect him – thats on the coaches.

    If I’m the owner I would have a meeting “I will hold you all responsible if Burrow gets hurt. If he holds onto the ball too long then work with him or adjust the play calling. I will not tolerate our franchise QB being injured”

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