As the Jacksonville Jaguars enter their 31st NFL season, longtime linebacker Josh Hines-Allen is poised to break one of the team’s longest-standing records. Needing only 2.5 sacks to surpass Tony Brackens’ franchise sack total, Hines-Allen is driven not just by personal accolades but by a broader mission to elevate the entire defense.
Hines-Allen has impressed since joining the Jaguars, and approaching this milestone puts him on the verge of becoming the all-time leader in sacks for the franchise. However, his sights are clearly set beyond just being remembered as “Sacksonville’s King,” focusing instead on contributing to overall team success through consistent defensive pressure.
Josh Hines-Allen Discusses His Approach to Breaking the Sack Record
The 28-year-old pass rusher shared insight into his mindset about chasing the sack record, emphasizing discipline and teamwork over statistics.
“I think all pass rushers should strive for that goal, like every team strives to win a Super Bowl. So, I think my goal is to break the record and not really focus on it. Just know that if I handle what I need to handle, stay healthy, know what I’m doing, communicate, anticipate what’s happening to me, anticipate passing, kind of be quicker on that, then everything’s going to play off the way it’s supposed to,”
Hines-Allen explained.
While breaking the sack record is a significant target—one that also echoes NFL greats like Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt who posted 23.5 sacks in a season—he remains dedicated first to helping the Jaguars improve their overall performance, particularly their win-loss record.
Confidence in Defensive Support as Key Factor for Record Pursuit
Hines-Allen expresses strong faith in the Jacksonville defense’s ability to build pressure on opposing quarterbacks, crediting coaching and teammates as vital to his expected success.
“100 percent. I mean, don’t ask me. You can ask the coaches, because they tell me all the time, this is what we want to do. Okay. But they’re the ones that’s going to call the plays. You talk to Coach Camp [Defensive Coordinator Anthony Campanile], you have guys that can go get the passer. Go get the passer. Cool. So, now let’s do it. Let’s show it. Let me prove to you. But I’ve already proved it. Tray’s {DE Travon Walker] proved it. Let’s just continue to do it,”
he said.
He also highlighted the importance of repetition and opportunity in creating more impactful plays, mentioning sack opportunities as well as tackles for loss in the run game:
“The more reps we get, the more ops [opportunities] we get, the higher percentage that we’re going to get pressures. We’re going to get hits. We’re going to get sacks. We’re going to get batted passes. We’re going to get more plays even in the run game. Hell, it’s going to affect us in the run game, more tackles for losses.”
Potential Impact on Jaguars’ Season and Franchise History
With 17.5 sacks recorded during the 2023 season, Hines-Allen’s target of 23 sacks appears realistic and may be achieved in the early weeks of this NFL season. Breaking the franchise sack record is significant not only for Hines-Allen’s legacy but for signaling a revitalized, formidable defense in Jacksonville that could improve the team’s standing within the conference.
This achievement would mark a milestone for the Jaguars, a team looking to build momentum and contend at high levels. The defensive pressure led by Hines-Allen and supported by players like Travon Walker may prove essential for the Jaguars’ ultimate ambitions in the NFL.
As the season progresses, all eyes will be on Hines-Allen’s pursuit, which reflects a blend of individual excellence and a commitment to collective success.