sack

gridiron football

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 20, 2026

Quick Summary

In American football, a sack occurs when a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. This action prevents the quarterback from completing a pass and results in a loss of yardage for the offensive team. The term "sack" was popularized by NFL defensive lineman David "Deacon" Jones in the 1960s. A player who achieves a sack is referred to as a "sacker".123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Deacon Jones
…Jones coined the term “sack” for the act of tackling the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage, a facet of the game at which he excelled. He also popularized the head slap, a move (since banned) that involved a defensive player slapping an offensive lineman’s helmet as hard as…
Read More
…Jones coined the term “sack” for the act of tackling the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage, a facet of the game at which he excelled. He also popularized the head slap, a move (since banned) that involved a defensive player slapping an offensive lineman’s helmet as hard as…
Read More