Do Sacks Count Against Rushing Yards

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Oct 21, 2025, 1:23 AM

If you are watching football (perhaps grinding out a fantasy matchup) you might be wondering about sacks and kneel downs and how they affect rushing yards. In fantasy, even the slightest yard can be the difference between a win and a loss, so how sacks and kneel downs are recorded can be very important. Two common questions for fantasy owners are: In the NFL, sacks do not count as negative rushing yards against the quarterback. They also do not count as negative passing yards against the quarterback. In the NFL, sacks are recorded as negative TEAM passing yards (source).

College football does count sacks as negative rushing yards against the quarterback (source). Yes, in both the NFL and college, kneel downs count as negative rushing yards for quarterbacks. In the article below, we will discuss these rules in greater depth. Also, if you are an NFL fan and in the market for a jersey, knowing what size to buy can be frustrating over the internet. We review all types of NFL jerseys. To see our real reviews, visit our Jersey Resource Center.

No. A sack does not count as a tackle for loss in professional American football. According to the NFL rule book, a sack and a tackle for loss are two different statistics. This occurs when the quarterback drops back to pass and is tackled by a defensive player behind the line of scrimmage. On the other hand, a tackle for loss is when a running back, receiver, or quarterback is tackled in the backfield during a running play. It’s important to note the differences, as each result ends up in a loss of yards.

However, they’re recorded differently on the stat sheet. According to the NFL rule book, sacks don't count as negative rushing yards against the QB. They also don't count as negative passing yards against the quarterback. Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game! The most obvious flaw in college football stats has lasted too long.

College football counts sacks against offensive rushing yards, despite sacks coming on passing plays. This routinely makes for misleading QB stat lines that deflate rushing achievements and inflate passing totals. In 2017, Lamar Jackson carried 203 times for 1,761 yards — an incredible 8.7-yard average. But Jackson got sacked 29 times for 160 yards, and so in the official books, he ran 232 times for 1,601 yards — a less stunning 6.9-yard average. On Jackson’s passing attempts, with sacks included, he averaged 7.6 yards. But the NCAA doesn’t count sacks that way, so Jackson’s official yards per pass attempt (i.e., his yards per actual throw) was 8.5.

Just as he was a better runner than the official stats showed, he was a less effective passer. The NFL’s stat-keeping system is a little weird, but it makes sense, because it prevents this from happening. The pros count sacks against a team’s passing stats, but not against individual QBs’ numbers. (After all, sacks aren’t always the QB’s fault.) NFL statisticians also don’t count them against QBs’ individual rushing stats. They instead use a separate category, sack yards. So, the other day, I was watching a football game with my friends, and a question popped into my head: do sacks count as negative rushing yards?

I mean, it seems like they should, right? The quarterback gets taken down behind the line of scrimmage, so it feels like a loss of yards. But I wasn’t sure, so I decided to do some digging. First, I started checking out some sports forums. I figured, who better to ask than a bunch of die-hard football fans? Well, it turns out, I got a mixed bag of answers.

Some people were all like, “Yeah, of course, sacks are negative rushing yards. It’s obvious!” But then others were saying, “Nah, man, sacks are their own thing. They don’t count as rushing or passing yards for the quarterback.” This made me even more curious, so I started looking at official NFL rules and stats websites. After some searching, I finally found the answer. It turns out that in the NFL, sacks do not count as negative rushing yards for the quarterback.

But there are also some interesting points. And there’s more, In college football, however, sacks are counted as negative rushing yards for the quarterback. The difference between the two levels of football is amazing. Does a sack not count as loss of rushing yards for a qb? Mariota had 29 yards…got sacked for loss of 5 yards…yet still shows he has 29 yards!?! Does a sack not count as loss of rushing yards for a qb?

Mariota had 29 yards…got sacked for loss of 5 yards…yet still shows he has 29 yards!?! Sacks count as minus yards for the TEAM passing yards. They do not count as +/- yards for the QB at all, and have no bearing on rushing yards at all So if Mariota passes for 150, and ATL gives up 3 sacks for 10 yards, Mariota still counts for 150 pass yards, but ATL as a team only counts for 140 team passing yards... Hey guys! Ever been watching a football game and wondered about the nitty-gritty details of the stats?

Specifically, have you ever pondered, "Do sacks count against rushing yards"? Well, you're in the right place! We're going to dive deep into this question, exploring how sacks affect a quarterback's rushing stats and why it matters. It’s a fundamental aspect of football that often gets overlooked, but understanding it can seriously level up your game-watching experience. We'll break down the rules, look at some examples, and even talk about how it impacts fantasy football. Ready to become a stats guru?

Let's get started! Alright, let's get straight to the point: yes, sacks do count against a quarterback's rushing yards. This is a crucial detail that's often missed by casual fans. The way the NFL (and most other football leagues) calculates rushing yards for quarterbacks is simple. Any yardage lost due to a sack is subtracted from their total rushing yards for the game. Think of it like this: if a quarterback scrambles for 10 yards, but then gets sacked for a loss of 7 yards, they only get credited with 3 rushing yards (10 yards gained -...

It's pretty straightforward once you know the rule! Now, why is this rule in place? Well, it's all about accurately reflecting the quarterback's contribution to the team's rushing game. Sacks are, essentially, negative rushing plays. They represent a loss of yardage, and the quarterback is responsible for that loss because they are the one with the ball. This rule helps to give a more complete picture of a quarterback's performance, showing not just their positive rushing plays but also the negative ones.

It helps to highlight the impact of the offensive line and the quarterback's ability to avoid pressure. So, next time you see a quarterback's rushing yards, remember that those numbers aren't just about running forward; they also include the yardage lost when they're taken down behind the line of scrimmage. So, how does this rule actually impact a quarterback's stats? Well, it can significantly affect both their rushing yards and their overall performance metrics. Let's break down a few key areas: So, the bottom line?

Sacks matter a lot when it comes to a quarterback's rushing stats. They are a critical piece of the puzzle when evaluating a quarterback's performance and their impact on the game. So, what is a sack? The short answer is that a sack is anytime the defense tackles the quarterback in the backfield during a designed passing play. As far as how it affects official NFL statistics and fantasy scoring, well that depends on the football league/level and the scoring settings in your fantasy league. As stated above, a sack occurs when a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage during a passing play.

Any defensive player can record a sack, but sacks tend to occur by certain positions, and the position varies depending on each team’s defensive scheme. Quick Answer: defensive ends 4-3 defensive fronts are relatively straightforward when it comes to the base rush. Typically all 4 down linemen will rush the quarterback. But, the expectations for the interior linemen and the outside linemen are not the same. Teams want their interior linemen to penetrate and disrupt the pocket. Of course, these guys may get sacks, but for some teams that’s just a bonus.

When they create havoc in the backfield, it throws off timing and allows the ends to make tackles, which are sacks in the case of passing plays. You will find the defensive ends aligned opposite and on the outside of the offensive tackles. They use their speed and agility to evade blockers and get after the quarterback. They also tend to be some of the more expensive defensive players for teams using the 4-3 front. No one said buying sacks was cheap. Short answer: outside linebackers 3-4 defensive fronts can confuse offensive lineman more than 4-3 fronts because you don’t always know who will be rushing the quarterback.

Do Sacks Count Against Rushing Yards

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