Josh Allen Credits "Incredible Teammates" for Sacks Record | Game That Was

Dec 31, 2023 at 08:49 PM

John Oehser

Jaguars Senior Writer

JACKSONVILLE – Josh Allen received the text earlier in the week.

It was from his friend and former teammate, Calais Campbell – and the veteran who once mentored Allen was clear in his message: "Go break the record."

On Sunday, Allen did just that.

"This is a huge accomplishment for myself, the team and for my family as well," Allen said late Sunday afternoon after the AFC South-leading Jaguars’ 26-0 victory over the Carolina Panthers at EverBank Stadium.

The accomplishment came in a flurry and in fitting fashion, as Allen – who has played at a Pro Bowl level at outside linebacker in this, his fifth NFL season – registered three sacks for the third time this season. He now has 16.5 sacks this season – two more than the former record set by Campbell in 2017.

"Amazing," running back Travis Etienne Jr. called Allen's season, with Head Coach Doug Pederson saying Allen "has had a heck of a season."

"Today was a great performance by him," Pederson said. "But I think he'd understand and he knows that the other 10 guys are doing their jobs, too, which helps him get back there to the quarterback. Congratulations to him for setting that mark.

"Those are big numbers. He has been good all season. Been consistent. Been steady. Congratulations to him and really the whole defense for that performance today."

The Jaguars finished Sunday with a season-high six sacks. Allen mentioned his teammates first when asked about an individual goal he long has wanted to achieve.

"I'm blessed and highly favored by the man above, first and foremost," he said. "I've got incredible teammates who backed me up this whole season, who witnessed me really high, really low, stayed with me, continue to be with me and I continue to be with those guys as well.

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"I couldn't have done it by myself."

Allen, the No. 7 overall selection in the 2019 NFL Draft, registered 10.5 sacks as a rookie and made the Pro Bowl that season. He registered 17 sacks over the next three seasons and said Sunday Campbell's record has been a goal throughout his career.

Allen hadn't had a sack in the last three games.

"I thought about it too much, anticipating it," he said. "When you play football, it's all about instincts and just being free. And so, you start thinking about it so much, you start getting tense, you start knowing when it's going to come, how is it going to come, what moment is it going to come -- what are you going to do, instead of going out there being free. I allowed myself to stay calm, stay cool."

He called breaking the record of Campbell, who he considers a friend, "huge."

"That's one thing: Record's are meant to be broken," he said. "I can't wait for somebody to break my record. I had a record in college. They broke that record. And I believe Tre (Jaguars outside linebacker Travon Walker) will break this record.

“For me to be in the history books, it's huge. I'm a legacy type of guy, I want to leave a legacy everywhere I go. I didn't do it by myself, first and foremost. So, shout-out to everybody who was a part of it.”

Allen acknowledged Campbell upon breaking the record. With Walker faking a baseball pitch to Allen, Allen mimicked Campbell's trademark "home-run swing" post-sack celebration after the second-quarter sack that moved him past Campbell.

Allen credited Jaguars Public Relations Coordinator Dylan Morton with suggesting the celebration.

"Once I thought about it, I was like, 'That's a really good idea,''' Allen said. "I told Tre about it. Tre said, 'I'm going to pitch it to you; I'm going to pitch it to you.' I was like, 'Bet.' There you go. Record broken."

NOTABLE

Jaguars tight end Evan Engram's second reception Sunday gave him 100 for the season, making him the eighth tight end in NFL history with 100 or more receptions in a single season. Engram, who caught six passes for 60 yards Sunday, now has 104 receptions for 884 yards and three touchdowns this season. "It means a lot," Engram said. "A lot of work was put in. There were people out there calling me a bust, had all the words in the world for me and my career. The resiliency that I showed in my work and in my craft and the people around me that helped pick me up every single day. … the [people] that helped my get better. My teammates, coaches, trainers, family, fiancé – the list goes on. It means the world to me. I do not take it lightly and honestly, I feel like I am going to be here for a while. I feel very blessed to be a part of the greats on that list and I'm going to try and keep joining them."