Covitz: Chiefs’ Justin Houston on the brink of sacking NFL history

[Tribal Warfare]

Chiefs’ Justin Houston on the brink of sacking NFL history

While on the Chiefs’ team bus headed for last Sunday’s game at Pittsburgh, outside linebacker Justin Houston shared a personal goal with teammate Kevin Vickerson.

Houston, on the precipice of matching or breaking Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas’ hallowed franchise record of 20 sacks, realized the significance of that magic number.

“He said how he wanted to be a Hall of Famer and put on a yellow jacket,” Vickerson said. “That’s big coming from a young player. … Seeing a young guy talk like and actually make strides on doing it is real rare. Some guys are just happy to be in the NFL, and he wants to make a legacy and make a name for himself.”

Houston recorded his NFL-leading 18th sack of the season at Pittsburgh. He enters Sunday’s regular-season finale against San Diego not only two shy of matching Thomas’ single-season team record set in 1990, but can become just the 10th player in NFL history with 20 sacks in a season.

Of the nine players who have 20 or more sacks in a season, five — Michael Strahan, (NFL record 22 1/2 in 2001), Reggie White (21 in 1987), Chris Doleman (21 in 1989), Lawrence Taylor (20 1/2 in 1986 and Thomas — are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

And three others still active — Jared Allen (22 in 2011), J.J. Watt (20 1/2 in 2012) and DeMarcus Ware (20 in 2008) — are possible candidates for Canton.

“I told him you’re doing something remarkable,” said Chiefs fellow outside linebacker Tamba Hali, who ranks third on the club’s all-time list with 79 1/2 sacks and had a single-season best 14 1/2 in 2010. “If we just look at 20-plus sacks in the history of football, not many guys can do that. I tell him, he’s doing something great.”

Houston declined interview requests on Wednesday, but his teammates left little doubt they want to see him shatter the mark.

“Would I like for him to get it?” Hali said. “It’s up to him. We love Derrick, but Houston can make his mark. I’d love for him to make his mark.”

No player in NFL history has 20 sacks in more than one season, but Houston, 25, would appear to be a prime candidate to break that barrier. Of the nine players with 20 sacks in a season, only Thomas and Watt were younger. Both were 23.

“It’s hard,” said Hali, who has double-digit sacks in three of his nine NFL seasons. “If you’re a 10-sack guy, you’ve just played two seasons in one. Sometimes you have to get help. The coaches have to put you in position. … With Houston, it’s natural. Everything he’s learned, he’s put it together, and it’s natural coming off the ball and getting to the quarterback.”

Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon, who was sacked three times by Thomas and finished his career as a teammate with the Chiefs, sees some similarities between Houston and Thomas.

“Houston’s got a great combination of speed and power,” said Moon, now a radio analyst for the Seattle Seahawks, whom the Chiefs defeated last month. “He’s very athletic for a guy who’s 260 pounds. He can run around guys but he can also bull-rush you and take you right back to the quarterback.