Best sack seasons by a 4-3 MLB, 3-4 ILB?

[Bryan]

Just wondering what 4-3 MLBs and what 3-4 ILBs had the best sack seasons (officially and pre-1982 unofficially), not including weird players like Seau and Mecklenburg. Were there D-coordinators that used their MLBs/ILBs as pass rushers moreso than OLBs?

[conace21]

I recall a tidbit about Dick Butkus in Peter King's 1993 book Pro Football History. He claimed that the Bears coaches unofficially kept track of his sacks, and they recorded 18 sacks one year for Butkus.

John Turney, is that even remotely true?

[JohnTurney]

Just wondering what 4-3 MLBs and what 3-4 ILBs had the best sack seasons (officially and pre-1982 unofficially), not including weird players like Seau and Mecklenburg. Were there D-coordinators that used their MLBs/ILBs as pass rushers more so than OLBs?

Depends on how you look at MLBs...Urlacher was MLB in base was a DE in nickel as a rookie. Charlie Clemens was the same, but a LDE in nickel 2001 had 13.5 sacks—which is the most, but of course got most as the DE, not a blitzing LBer. Bryan Cox, in 1995 was MLB in base, DE in nickel had 7.5 sacks.

As ILB and not a DL in nickel...Gradishar had 7 in 1976. Mecklenberg was someone who was a DE in nickel, had 13 sacks on year and others around 9. Chad Brown was an ILBer in base, DE in nickel, had some big sack years

There are quite a few around 8-9-10 or so. Kendrell Bell was a down lineman in nickel, had 9 in his best year.

As a MLB who would put his hand in the dirt over the center a lot, Bill George had 11½ in 1961.

From Bill George to Gradishar, I don't recall any big years (call it 6 or more) from any MLBers. Sam Huff claimed he had lots, but numbers do seem to bear that out.

As fas as DC, Collier had Gradishar and Mecklenberg, but Meck a hybrid, not a blitzers.

[JohnTurney]

I recall a tidbit about Dick Butkus in Peter King's 1993 book Pro Football History. He claimed that the Bears coaches unofficially kept track of his sacks, and they recorded 18 sacks one year for Butkus.

John Turney, is that even remotely true?

Not true. Sacks to them was sacks plus knockdowns. Butkus only had 5 or so in his career. But he did have lots of those "Chicago sacks" where he'd belitz and hit or knockown qb.