Getty Tom Brady surpassed Ben Roethlisberger's sack record.
It’s not often Steelers fans are grateful for something the Baltimore Ravens did, but there’s a first for everything. Thanks to the Ravens’ defense, the record for the NFL’s most-sacked quarterback no longer belongs to Ben Roethlisberger (554). That distinction now belongs to the GOAT, Tom Brady.
When you play until you’re 45, there are going to be a lot of records set. This is one he preferred not to add to the list.
In the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Thursday Night Football tilt versus the Ravens, Brady was sacked for the 553, 554 and 555th time. Ravens defensive end Justin Houston was responsible for No. 553 and 554 (in back-to-back plays), while tackle Justin Madubuike set Brady’s newest record at 555.
Houston was not aware he personally tied the record until after the game.
“It’s not surprising because I’m pretty sure he’s the oldest quarterback and played the longest out of everybody, so it’s not surprising that that’s the case, but I didn’t know that at all,” Houston told the media.
“I think any time you can put that under your belt against Tom Brady, I think that’s a plus, so I’ll take it,” Houston said of its significance.
Brady has taken an average of 1.6 sacks per game this season, on pace for 25.5 by January. His career high is 41 in 2001, Brady’s first season as a starter.
Clearly, Roethlisberger and Brady have drastically different playing styles. Many of the sacks Roethlisberger took were of his own doing — holding onto the ball too long in an attempt to extend plays. He was on the receiving end of a career-high 50 sacks in 2009. That put the cap on a four-season stretch where he was taken down 46, 47 and 46 times from 2006 on. The Ravens hold the record for Roethlisberger’s most sacks in a game with 9.0 in 2006.
Some sacks were due to inconsistencies along Pittsburgh’s offensive line.
“It stinks to see [Roethlisberger] come in the next day limping around, barely walking,” tackle Marcus Gilbert told Ed Bouchette in 2013. “You got to be better, you have to take pride in that.”
Ben Roethlisberger on Tom Brady
The former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback has found a new passion in retirement: Podcasting (and beer-tasting). He’s now nine episodes into his Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger podcast, which debuts every Monday.
Roethlisberger was a spectator at Acrisure Stadium on October 16 for Pittsburgh’s second win of the season over Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On the October 17th Footbahlin’, Roethlisberger shared his observations on Brady and his performance.
“To me, this is just my opinion — Tom is the greatest, the Super Bowl rings show it,” Roethlisberger said on Monday, October 17, on his podcast “Footbahlin with Ben Roethlisberger.” “It didn’t look like he wanted to be out there,” he continued. “I’m like, ‘There’s no way he’s enjoying this.’ No way. It just didn’t look fun to him.”
Roethlisberger knows exactly how Brady feels — from experience.
“When the defense gets after you, sometimes, your anger and your disgust for things happen because the other team is affecting you,” he said. “Not because it’s you. But yeah, it just looked like a different Tom.”