Dallas City News

We are at day 20 of our 99 day countdown until the regular season. Here is your daily fact associated with number 20.

The most sacks in a single-season by a Dallas Cowboys player is 20, by lethal pass rusher DeMarcus Ware.

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DeMarcus Omar Ware was born July 31, 1982 and was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft. Ware wasted no time cracking the starting lineup for the Cowboys as a rookie. He was assigned to the position of right outside linebacker and achieved his first career sack against San Francisco quarterback Tim Rattay during Week 3.

In Week 16, while facing Carolina, Ware recorded three sacks, equaling a team record held by Randy White for the most sacks in a single game. Although Dallas did not qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive year, the team improved its record to nine wins, up from six the previous season, and the defense advanced to 12th overall in the NFL. Ware concluded his rookie season with a total of 58 combined tackles, 15 tackles for loss, one pass breakup, and eight sacks, which tied him for the team lead.

Following a promising rookie season where he honed his skills, Ware emerged as one of the premier young outside linebackers in the league. In 2006, he recorded his first NFL touchdowns on a fumble return and an interception, while also leading the team with 12 sacks.

With Wade Phillips taking the helm in 2007, Dallas reached 13 victories but was eliminated in the Divisional Round by the New York Giants. Ware managed to reach the opposing quarterback 14 times and recorded a personal best of 84 tackles. In 2008, he elevated his performance, leading the NFL with 20 sacks, a career high, along with 27 tackles for loss, also a career high.

In 2009, Ware secured a six-year contract extension valued at $78 million, positioning him among the highest-paid defenders in the NFL. By Week 14 of the 2009 season, Ware had demonstrated his worth, heading towards yet another season with double-digit sacks. However, during a game against Phillip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers, Ware faced a near-fatal incident. As he charged at Rivers with over 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, he missed the quarterback and collided head-first with a Chargers offensive tackle. The impact primarily affected Ware’s head and neck, causing him to fall heavily to the ground. With the medical team attending to him and the crowd in hushed anticipation, Cowboys fans held their breath. Fortunately, he began to move his hands and arms, prompting a collective sigh of relief throughout the stadium. Ware finished the season with 11 sacks.

In the subsequent years, Dallas faced challenges in securing wins, yet Ware continued to solidify his reputation as one of the greatest defenders in NFL history. In 2010, he led the league in sacks for the second time, accumulating 16 sacks, and in 2011, he achieved 20 sacks, including four against the Eagles. By 2012, Ware became the second-fastest player, behind Reggie White, to reach 100 sacks, accomplishing this milestone in just 113 games. He concluded that year with 12 sacks, marking his seventh consecutive season with double-digit sacks. In 2013, Ware became the all-time sack leader for the Cowboys, amassing a total of 117 sacks. Due to his increasing cost and finishing the season with only six sacks, Jerry Jones released Ware, who subsequently joined the Denver Broncos, contributing to their victory in Super Bowl 50.

Ware’s accolades include being a two-time sack leader, earning nine Pro Bowl selections, and receiving seven All-Pro honors. He was inducted into the Cowboys Ring of Honor and, in 2023, was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He continues to hold the records for the Cowboys’ as career sack leader and forced fumble leader, with a total of 32 forced fumbles.

Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images