RENTON, Wash. -- Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett combined for 73.5 sacks during their five seasons with the Seattle Seahawks. Chris Clemons, another member of their 2013 Super Bowl team, recorded 38 for Seattle. Frank Clark, back for a second stint with the Seahawks, has 35 and counting. Cortez Kennedy racked up 58 during his Hall of Fame career while Jacob Green, another member of the Seahawks' Ring of Honor, owns the franchise record with 97.5.
But none of the best pass-rushers in Seahawks history ever did what Boye Mafe is doing now.
The second-year outside linebacker has a sack in seven straight games, a new franchise record. He took down Sam Howell in Seattle's 29-26 win over the Washington Commanders last week to break the previous mark set by Michael Sinclair over the 1997 and '98 seasons.
The record is more than just a place in Seahawks history. It's an illustration of the massive jump Mafe has taken from his rookie season.
"Seven straight," coach Pete Carroll said postgame Sunday. "I don't know how the heck you do that, but he's doing it. Really proud of him. As we've talked about him so much during the season, about his growth and really the transition from year one to year two, it's obvious he's playing with the big boys now. He's up in there and having a chance to really put together a great season. He's already had a terrific season."
Mafe generated first-round buzz leading up to last year's draft before the Seahawks took him 40th overall out of Minnesota. Inside team headquarters, he generated plenty of comparisons to Avril given their similar skill sets and physical profiles.
But Mafe (6-foot-4, 261 pounds) arrived with a rawness that was at times evident during a solid but unspectacular rookie season. As a regular in the outside linebacker rotation behind Uchenna Nwosu and Bruce Irvin, he recorded three sacks while averaging 25 snaps per game and playing in all 17.
Mafe is now a starter, and in only eight games this season -- he missed Week 2 with a knee injury -- he's already more than doubled his rookie totals in sacks, tackles for loss (seven to three) and quarterback hits (10 to four). He forced and recovered the fumble on one of his sacks and has another fumble recovery. Mafe ranks fourth in pass rush win rate among edge defenders (26.0%) behind Micah Parsons, Myles Garrett and Will Anderson Jr., this year's third overall pick -- that's pretty good company.
The Seahawks' loaded 2022 draft class included candidates for Offensive (running back Kenneth Walker III) and Defensive (cornerback Riq Woolen) Rookie of the Year, plus a pair of starting tackles (Charles Cross and Abraham Lucas). But of all those promising young players, none have taken as big of a second-year jump as Mafe. The Seahawks are needing every bit of it with Nwosu -- perhaps their best front-seven defender -- out for the rest of the season because of a torn pectoral muscle he suffered in Week 7.
"He's done a great job," general manager John Schneider said on Seattle Sports 710-AM before last week's game. "Had a great offseason. He was one of those guys last year we were like, man, we wish we could get him on the field a little bit more. Bruce did a great job last year as Boye was maturing. But he's had a fantastic start. He's a great person, works his tail off. He's a pro. I'm just really excited for him and what he brings to the defense."
Mafe's grounded and understated nature has also endeared him to teammates.
"He's a great football player, and he's also very humble," said defensive tackle Leonard Williams, who joined Seattle at the trade deadline. "Last week I found out he was on six [consecutive games with a sack] and I kept trying to tell him congratulations and he's just like, 'That's nothing, that's nothing.' I think having that type of mindset is the reason why he's continuing to make plays. You even see it in practice; he's a big effort guy. He has the talent, but he also plays with a lot of effort."
At this rate, Mafe is a safe bet to become the first Seahawks defender to finish with at least 10 sacks since Clark (13) and Jarran Reed (10.5) both hit double digits in 2018.
As for his streak of consecutive games with a sack, Mafe has a ways to go before threatening the NFL record of 11 set by the Kansas City Chiefs' Chris Jones in 2018. Trey Hendrickson had a sack in nine straight games for the Cincinnati Bengals during their run to the Super Bowl in 2021. Since sacks became an official stat in 1982, 11 players have recorded one in eight straight games in the same season.
Mafe can join that company when the Seahawks face Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS) at SoFi Stadium. The Rams, who will get Stafford back from his thumb injury, rank 27th in pass block win rate and 16th in sacks allowed per dropback. But whether Mafe's streak ends there or continues, he's already announced his presence as one of the NFL's young up-and-coming edge rushers.
"He's just going to keep adding to it," safety Jamal Adams said. "Special player. Very coachable. Even better person off the field. I'm just looking forward to watching his whole career because it's going to be special."