The Denver Broncos came within four sacks of NFL history last season. Defensive tackle Zach Allen doesn’t think they’ll miss again.
Allen told the Denver Post this week that the Broncos are eyeing the NFL’s all-time single-season sack record in 2026, one year after Denver’s defense fell just short of it. “We came close to the sack record last year, and we fully expect to break it this year,” Allen said, via the Denver Post.
The Broncos racked up 68 sacks in 2025, tops in the league and a new franchise record. That left them four shy of the mark set by the 1984 Chicago Bears, who finished with 72. The comparison comes with an asterisk worth noting: Chicago set its record over a 16-game slate, while modern NFL teams play 17 regular-season games, giving Denver an extra contest to close the gap.
Why Allen Believes the Broncos’ Defense Can Break the Sack Record
Allen pointed to defensive coordinator Vance Joseph’s scheme as the engine behind Denver’s pass rush. “It also helps when you’ve got V.J. dialing stuff up that helps us get one-on-ones,” Allen said. “We’ve got a lot of good guys, and that’s going to create a lot of opportunities for people.”
That’s not just a defensive tackle talking his own game. Joseph’s blitz packages and stunts have consistently put Denver’s rushers in favorable matchups, and the results back it up. Edge rusher Nik Bonitto has developed into one of the league’s premier pass rushers over the past two seasons, and cornerback Pat Surtain II gives the secondary enough coverage to let the pass rush get home. When a defense doesn’t have to worry about a blown coverage bailing out the quarterback, rushers can commit fully to getting after the passer rather than playing it safe.
Allen’s own numbers back up his standing in that room. He posted 73 total pressures, seven sacks and a league-leading 43 quarterback hits last season, numbers that helped earn him his first career first-team All-Pro nod. He’s also No. 73 on the NFL’s Top 100 list for 2026, a jump from No. 90 a year ago.
The Case Against Repeating It
Denver’s pass rush won’t have it as easy as the raw sack total suggests. The Broncos led the league in sacks for a second straight year, but they faded down the stretch, getting outscored in shootouts against Green Bay and Jacksonville late in the season. Analysts who track Denver’s pass rush point to those losses as evidence that a full 17-game pace is hard to sustain, even for a unit this talented.
The roster also looks different heading into 2026. Denver has lost edge depth in John Franklin-Myers, and linebacker Jonathon Cooper’s status remains uncertain. Cooper faces pending legal proceedings following a domestic violence arrest, and no determination on his football future — team or league discipline — has been made official as of this writing. If Cooper isn’t available, players like Jonah Elliss will be asked to take on a bigger role earlier than expected.
Denver also opens the year on the road against Kansas City in Week 1’s Monday Night Football matchup, the first time in franchise history the Broncos have opened the season at Arrowhead Stadium. From there, Denver hosts Jacksonville and the Rams before traveling to face the 49ers in Week 4 — a brutal opening stretch against playoff-caliber offenses that will test the pass rush immediately.
Sack Production, Franchise Record vs. NFL Record
| Team | Season | Sacks | Games Played |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | 1984 | 72 | 16 |
| Denver Broncos | 2025 | 68 | 17 |
The extra game in the modern schedule matters here. Denver averaged exactly four sacks per game in 2025; matching that same rate across 17 games in 2026 would put the Broncos at 68 again. To beat Chicago’s mark, Denver needs a modest uptick in per-game production, not a historic leap.
What Comes Next
The Broncos report to training camp on July 28, giving Allen and the rest of Denver’s front seven a few more weeks before the record chase officially begins. Vance Joseph’s unit will have every opportunity to make its case early, with three of Denver’s first four opponents coming off playoff appearances in 2025.
Whether the Broncos actually get there is still speculation — Allen’s comments are a statement of belief and intent, not a guarantee backed by anything beyond training camp expectations. But with Bonitto, Surtain and a healthy Allen all returning, Denver’s defense has the pieces to make a real run at it.
