Had the NFL officially tracked Sacks in the years leading up to 1982, Al “Bubba” Baker might have gained some Hall of Fame traction.
Baker began his professional career with the Detroit Lions and instantly became the heart of Detroit’s Silver Rush Defense. The former Colorado State Ram led the league (unofficially) in Sacks as a rookie with 23. He easily won the Defensive Rookie of the Year, was a First Team All-Pro, and was the scariest pass rusher in the league. He dominated again in 1979 with 16 Sacks and had his second “unofficial” sack crown with 17.5 in 1980. Yep, 56.5 in his first three years!
Baker remained a potent player, but he ne did not go to another Pro Bowl beyond his first three seasons. He was sent to the St. Louis Cardinals following a contract dispute, and in his four years under the Arch, he recorded 37.5 Sacks, with three double-digit years. Baker played four more years, mostly in a reserve capacity, with three years in Cleveland and one in Minnesota.
He retired with 131.0 Sacks, a colossal number that remains unofficial, but those are not disputed metrics.
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