The NFL first-round draft pick in 2022 for the New York Giants and the fifth overall draft pick boldly seeks to break the record number of sacks in a season in 2024.
Kayvon Thibodeaux is entering his third season with the Giants and believes can break the record number of sacks in a season in 2024. The record currently stands at 22.5 sacks per season set by Michael Strahan in 2001 and matched by T.J. Watt in 2021. Does Thibodeaux have what it takes to break this record?
Does The New York Giants Pass Rusher Have What It Takes?
Thibodeaux boldly declares with a smile as reported by NJ.com “We’re just going to start this off, if you were wondering, I’m going for the record — so don’t ask, Every year I’m here, I’m going for Michael Strahan’s record.”
Breaking records and achieving excellence from the beginning, Thibodeaux’s bio is impressive from his high school days onward. Visit the Giants website to read more.
“Recorded 54.0 career sacks in 4 four years…Top-ranked player in the ESPN300…Named the USA Today High School Defensive Player of the Year, as well as first-team All-USA Defense…Consensus five-star prospect and No. 1 rated recruit from California by ESPN, Rivals and 247Sports…Played in the 2019 Under Armour All-American Game and was named a co-captain for Team Sanders…Also invited to the inaugural Pro Football Hall of Fame World Bowl…Named the Defensive Player of the Year in California by USA Today, while also being named first-team All-California by the paper”.
Thibodeaux, the 2021 Consensus All-American from the University of Oregon, was drafted by the Giants in 2022. Thibodeaux continually shows improvement in his game. He had 11.5 sacks in 2023, up almost three-fold from 2022, with only four sacks in that season.
Will Kayvon Thibodeaux Continue the Giants’ Record Legacy?
Michael Strahan was a second-round draft pick for the Giants in 1993 and held the record for most sacks in a season for more than twenty years. In 2021, T.J. Watt tied this record.
Kayvon Thibodeaux said in the aforementioned interview that the opportunities are greater now as the game has evolved since the days of Strahan. But what about now? Currently, T. J. Watt leads the NFL in sacks and has done so for three consecutive seasons. Watt was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2021.
Last season, he had 19 sacks, while Kayvon Thibodeaux had 11.5. However, Watt is six years older than Thibodeaux, and although invited to the Pro Bowl, he opted out due to an injury.
Keep an eye on Myles Garrett, the 2023 season Defensive Player of the Year and DE for the Cleveland Browns. Garrett had 14 sacks last season and 16 in each of the two preceding years. Garrett is the head of Thibodeaux and is in season sacks.
2024 NY Giants Defense Outlook
The New York Giants will start in 2024 with a new defensive coordinator, Shane Bowen, formerly the DC for the Tennessee Titans. The Giants hired Bowen after parting ways with Wind Martindale.
The Titans under DC Bowen in 2023 had more rushes and more sacks than the Giants. In addition to Bowen, the Giants acquired two new players. Bowen will coach Brian Burns, Dexter Lawrence, and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Could this be the catalyst that sets Thibodeaux up for breaking the record for most sacks in a season? Here is what Bowen said, as reported on NFL.com:
“They’re all here for a reason. God has blessed them with the skill set to be here. I want to make sure we can maximize that skillset and they’re able to maximize that skillset. But hopefully [it will be] fast, aggressive, you’ll see some violence from us and ultimately guys making plays.”
About the Author
Lori was born in Jacksonville, Florida. She was in Jacksonville when the Jaguars became the 30th NFL Franchise. Her son began playing football in middle school and continued playing through his senior year of high school. Lori’s daughter was born during a Super Bowl game. She and her family are avid sports enthusiasts.
Lori is a freelance writer with Total Apex Sports and is dedicated to creating interesting, accurate, and concise articles. Lori reports that writing for Total Apex Sports is an honor, and each day is full of exciting experiences.
Lori has a bachelor’s degree in Business Management with an emphasis on Project Management and has written technical documents for more than a decade.
You may contact Lori by email at lori@loriratto.com. Follow me on X https://twitter.com/LorirattoLori
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