Denver Broncos eye NFL sack record in 2026 with stacked defense

Denver Broncos set their sights on NFL sack record

The Denver Broncos fell four sacks short of the NFL record in 2025. Now 14-3 and on a two-game winning streak, they’re chasing history again in 2026.

What happened last season

The Broncos led the NFL with 68 sacks in 2025. That total sits just four shy of the single-season record of 72 set by the Chicago Bears in 1984. Denver stayed in the chase for much of the season before falling short in the final stretch.

Defensive end Zach Allen led the team with seven sacks. Nik Bonitto paced the group at 14, following a 13.5-sack breakout in 2024. Jonathon Cooper added eight, while John Franklin-Myers finished with 7.5.

Why it matters for Denver Broncos

Denver’s pass rush wasn’t just about sacks. The unit ranked second in total yards allowed per game at 278.2. They also finished third in points allowed per game at 18.3.

“In this league you’ve got to keep finding ways to get better,” Allen said via the Denver Post. “It also helps when you’ve got Vance Joseph dialing stuff up that gets us one-on-ones. We’ve got a lot of good guys and that creates opportunities.”

What comes next for Denver Broncos

The Broncos open the 2026 regular season at home against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sept. 15. They’ll look to pick up where they left off and finally break the sack record.

Allen expects the defense to keep improving. “We came close last year,” he said. “We fully expect to break it this year.”