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By the year 1961, the NFL had begun tracking yardage lost by quarterbacks behind the line of scrimmage. In some cases, the league and individual organizations began tracking the statistic in an unofficial capacity (like tackles today). Despite the league not making quarterback sacks an official statistic until 1982, the Rams media guide credited Deacon Jones with 173.5 sacks.
Just out of general interest on our part, and hopefully for you, we wanted to take a look at the sack leaders in Bengals history over the years.
| YEAR | Sack leader | Total | Second-most | Total |
| 2012 | Geno Atkins | 12.5 | Michael Johnson | 11.5 |
| 2011 | Geno Atkins | 7.5 | Jonathan Fanene | 6.5 |
| 2010 | Carlos Dunlap | 9.5 | Geno Atkins | 3.0 |
| 2009 | Antwan Odom | 9.0 | Jonathan Fanene | 6.0 |
| 2008 | Antwan Odom, John Thornton, Chinedum Ndukwe | 3.0 | Robert Geathers | 2.5 |
| 2007 | Robert Geathers | 3.5 | Ndukwe, Justin Smith, Madieu Williams | 2.0 |
| 2006 | Robert Geathers | 10.5 | Justin Smith | 7.5 |
| 2005 | Justin Smith | 6.0 | David Pollack | 4.5 |
| 2004 | Justin Smith | 8.0 | Duane Clemons | 6.5 |
| 2003 | John Thornton, Duane Clemons | 6.0 | Justin Smith | 5.0 |
| 2002 | Justin Smith | 6.5 | Tony Williams | 5.0 |
| 2001 | Reinard Wilson | 9.0 | Justin Smith | 8.5 |
| 2000 | Oliver Gibson, Steve Foley, Cory Hall | 4.0 | Reinard Wilson | 3.0 |
| 1999 | Michael Bankston | 6.0 | Oliver Gibson | 4.5 |
| 1998 | Reinard Wilson | 6.0 | Clyde Simmons | 5.0 |
| 1997 | Gerald Dixon | 8.5 | Dan Wilkinson | 5.0 |
| 1996 | Dan Wilkinson | 6.5 | Ricardo McDonald | 5.0 |
| 1995 | John Copeland | 9.0 | Dan Wilkinson | 8.0 |
| 1994 | Alfred Williams | 9.5 | Dan Wilkinson | 5.5 |
| 1993 | Danny Stubbs | 5.0 | Alfred Williams | 4.0 |
| 1992 | Alfred Williams | 10.0 | Danny Stubbs | 9.0 |
| 1991 | Tim Krumrie | 4.0 | James Francis, Alfred Williams, Danny Stubbs | 3.0 |
| 1990 | James Francis | 8.0 | Natu Tuatagaloa | 4.5 |
| 1989 | Jason Buck | 6.0 | Jim Skow | 4.5 |
| 1988 | Jim Skow | 9.5 | Jason Buck | 6.0 |
| 1987 | Reggie Williams | 6.0 | Jim Skow | 4.5 |
| 1986 | Emanuel King | 9.0 | Eddie Edwards, Ross Browner | 6.5 |
| 1985 | Ross Browner | 9.0 | Eddie Edwards | 8.5 |
| 1984 | Eddie Edwards, Reggie Williams | 9.0 | Ross Browner | 8.0 |
| 1983 | Eddie Edwards | 13.0 | Reggie Williams | 7.5 |
| 1982 | Eddie Edwards | 6.0 | Reggie Williams | 4.5 |