Former NFL athlete Bruce Smith set a League record that’s been hard to beat over the past almost two decades. He had more sacks than anyone else in NFL history. But he believes young linebacker TJ Watt is the player that could do it.
“The one we want to watch now because he’s young is TJ,” Smith told TMZ Sports.
Smith was formidable during his career in the NFL. The defensive end played for 14 years for the Buffalo Bills from 1985 to 1999. He then played for four years for the Washington Redskins before retiring in 2003. When he left the field, Smith left a lasting legacy that will go down in history.
Smith had 200 sacks during his career in the NFL. But he didn’t accomplish his record over night.
“You have to understand there has to be a level of consistency that will last for 14, 15 years,” Smith continued. “So, there are a lot of factors that go against you from being able to, heck, even reach 130 sacks or 140 sacks.”
Let alone 200 sacks.
Bruce Smith is Impressed by TJ Watt
So far, Smith has been extremely impressed by TJ Watt, who is an outside linebacker for the Pittsburgh Steelers. During his four seasons, Watt has had 49 sacks. Smith believes the young athlete is on pace to break his record.
“No one wants their record to be broken. But it’s not my record,” Smith said. “You got to look at it in terms of the rules will change. The games will change to a certain degree. And there will be better athletes that come out on a year to year basis. When you look at all the factors I just mentioned. But No. 1 is staying motivated and staying healthy enough to be consistent throughout your body of work.”
Smith believes that consistency will determine the legends from just good players.
He continued, “Your body of work will separate you from the good ones to the great ones to the ones that will go down in history.”
