The first player in history to lead two teams in sacks
In short: Montez Sweat's 2023 season defied the traditional logic of professional football. By racking up high-impact plays for both the Washington Commanders and the Chicago Bears, he achieved a statistical feat never before seen in the NFL—proving that elite defensive pressure can transcend team boundaries.
Sweat's journey to the NFL was marked by significant hurdles, including a medical scare during the 2019 NFL Combine. He was initially diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, but it was later determined to be a misdiagnosis caused by improper heart measurements. Despite this, he set a record for defensive linemen in the 40-yard dash at 4.41 seconds and was selected 26th overall by the Washington Redskins.
His collegiate career was non-linear, involving three different schools before finding his stride at Mississippi State. After redshirting at Michigan State in 2015, he moved to Copiah–Lincoln Community College before joining the Bulldogs in 2017. It was there that he became an All-American standout, recording 10.5 sacks in 2017 and 12 sacks in 2018.
The defining moment of his career came in late 2023. After being traded to the Chicago Bears on October 31, Sweat joined a new offense and immediately began producing. He finished the season with a career-high 12.5 sacks—6.5 with Washington and 6 with Chicago. This feat made him the first player in NFL history to lead two different teams in sacks during a single season.
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus attributed this success to the "Tez effect," a term describing how Sweat's presence creates gravitational pressure that allows teammates to generate more turnovers and quarterback pressures. This distinction highlights his value not just as an individual sack artist, but as a structural catalyst for defensive success.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Montez Sweat
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/history-montez-sweat.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Born on this day · More in History · Latest · A–Z · All topics
