Montez Sweat Stakes Claim to NFL History With Unprecedented Season

The standout defensive end was traded halfway through the year and didn’t skip a beat.

Chicago Bears defensive end Montez Sweat made NFL history Sunday when he became the first player to lead two different teams in sacks in the same season. 

Sweat, whom the Washington Commanders traded to Chicago on Oct. 31, tallied 6.5 sacks with Washington and six with Chicago in a dominant season that resulted in his first Pro Bowl selection. The fifth-year pro out of Mississippi State recorded 12.5 sacks, 57 tackles and three forced fumbles in 17 games this season.

Unfortunately for Sweat, his contributions didn’t result in much winning. The 27-year-old went 3–5 with the Commanders and then 5–4 with the Bears to close out the season. Neither squad reached the playoffs, but the star edge rusher will be a pillar for Chicago going forward. 

After being traded, he and the Bears agreed to a four-year contract extension containing $98 million in new money and $72.9 million guaranteed. The deal is worth a total of $105 million, per a November report from NFL Network.